A Lost Hero
by supergirlfan
Summary: After the Red Kryptonite incident, Kara is filled with self-hatred and guilt. She doesn't want help; she just wants to be left alone. Isolated and miserable, she searches for ways to end the pain. Alex tries desperately to help, with the assistance of an unexpected ally. Trigger warning for suicidal thoughts, self harm. Please be safe!
1. Chapter 1

Kara dragged herself out of bed, knowing that if she hit the snooze button one more time, she'd be late. She needed to find something to wear that hadn't been singed by her ill-advised clothing rampage, and she needed to get to Noonan's in time to grab her boss's latte.

Kara sighed, thinking about her boss – the one she'd just thrown off a balcony. Not that she'd ever intended to kill Cat Grant, but the media mogul certainly had the right to think so, considering she'd stood there with a smug look before finally relenting and catching her just before Cat hit the ground. She'd heard Cat's words about her, about how she could no longer stand behind Supergirl. At the time, of course, Cat was right. She couldn't be trusted. She'd hurt everyone she knew, all of the people who mattered to her. She had come on to James, ruining their friendship. She had accused her sister of jealousy, of ruining her life, and of wanting to kill her aunt, and then broken her arm. She'd even destroyed Hank's life, forcing him to reveal his true identity in order to stop her from killing her own sister.

No, Cat was right. She couldn't be trusted. There was only one thing she could do. She would have to give up the suit and cape. National City would have to think she was gone for good. If no one needed her, then she wouldn't be a target. She wouldn't be in any danger of being attacked with weapons like Red Kryptonite or Bizarro. It was the only way to protect the people she loved.

She arrived at work, latte in hand, and braced herself for Cat's arrival. Ever since Cat had declared their relationship "strictly professional," the woman had been anything but. She had been vindictive and petty, belittling Kara at every opportunity, and even hiring another assistant to demote Kara. The truth was, though, that Kara deserved every bit of Cat's pettiness. She had hurt Cat's son, choosing her superhero career over a chance at happiness with Adam. Then, she had nearly killed the woman herself. She deserved to be berated, belittled, and destroyed, if not fired altogether. In fact, if Kara hadn't needed the money to support herself, she probably would have just quit, to save Cat the hassle of working her way toward firing the girl. She wasn't sure what was stopping Cat. Perhaps it was Cat's belief that Kara was Supergirl. Despite Hank's help a few weeks ago, she knew that her boss still had suspicions, and probably felt guilty firing someone who'd done so much for her company. Well, those days were over. Kara would no longer be Supergirl, and her boss would have no reason to be grateful. Perhaps that would be the end for Kara's career at CatCo.

She heard the private elevator rising, and straightened her posture. Cat Grant breezed out of the elevator, grabbed the latte out of Kara's hand, and dumped it into the trash. "Kiera?" she screeched on her way into the office. "Change that outfit, now, before I go blind." Yes, it was going to be a typical day.

At mid-morning, Kara received a call from Alex. "Supergirl, there's a bank robbery right near you. Can you get there?"

Kara shook her head. She wasn't ready to talk with Alex about her decision. She knew it was cowardly to put off the conversation, but she just couldn't handle it today. "Can't do it right now, Alex. The police will have to handle it. I'm sorry."

Alex said that she understood, and would talk to Kara later. As Kara hung up the phone, she stared at it for a moment. Was this the right thing to do? She thought so.

She looked up at the screen's in Cat's office, and saw a breaking news alert about the robbery. It had turned into a hostage situation. She swallowed, and looked down at her desk, praying that nobody would die.

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Cat studied her assistant. Kara was obviously struggling. After her comment, the young woman had taken off her pink cardigan, ostensibly hoping that would be enough to avoid any more wardrobe comments. Now, the woman sat staring miserably at her desk, as a hostage situation played out on TV. Why wasn't Kara going out there to help?

She knew the girl was Supergirl, of course. Whatever trick she had pulled that night had been impressive, but the similarities were too great. Either Kara had an identical twin (she didn't; Cat had already checked), or she was Supergirl. Now she watched as Kara tried desperately to ignore what was going on at the bank. She wished the girl understood that these were the kinds of things she needed to do in order for the public to trust her again. Why was Kara just sitting there?

Maybe she just needed a nudge. "Kiera!" she shouted. "Go get me a lettuce wrap." She hoped that making Kara leave the building would give her the push that she needed. Kara nodded without meeting her eyes, and left the floor. Cat watched the coverage intently, but there was still no sign of Supergirl.

A few minutes later, Kara returned, lettuce wrap in hand. The hostages were still being held. Clearly, Kara was making a conscious decision not to help, and from the look on her face, it was killing her.

Cat frowned. This was not good.

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Kara watched the hostage situation play out throughout the day. She ignored the texts from Alex stating that if she got a chance, they could probably use her help. She tried to ignore the commentators, who were asking where Supergirl had gone, and wondering whether she'd been harmed or even killed when government agents had taken her away. Her heart sank when she heard that at least one of the hostages had died. As she left for the day, police were preparing to enter the building and end the standoff. She returned to her apartment, turned off her phone, and went to bed.

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Alex was worried about her sister. It wasn't like Kara not to answer her phone, and the hero's lack of response today was unusual. She wanted to go and comfort her sister. She wanted to hug Kara and tell her that everything would be okay, that people would love her again, and that Hank would be fine… but she didn't really think Kara would believe her. Truthfully, she wasn't even sure whether Kara would welcome her presence. Things had been strained between them even before the Red Kryptonite, and she knew that Kara felt awful about what she had said and done. Perhaps seeing Alex with a bandage on her arm wasn't the best thing for Kara right now.

Sighing, she called Kara one more time, and then gave up for the night. There was nothing she could do for Kara right now. She wished, so badly, that there was.

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The next morning, Kara could barely crawl out of bed. She'd been up all night, because every time she closed her eyes, she imagined a hostage situation littered with dead bodies. She dug through her old clothing for something that would fit, finally identifying a dress that wasn't particularly awful and putting it on. She picked up her latte and arrived at CatCo just before Cat's elevator dinged its arrival.

Cat breezed past Kara, grabbing the latte and announcing that she needed to see the department heads for a meeting. Kara took her usual place in the back, ready to take notes. She winced in surprise when Cat began the meeting by asking, "Where is Supergirl?" Her surprise turned to alarm when Cat stared right at her after asking the question.

James spoke up. "Are we sure that Supergirl wasn't injured when she was captured? She might be recovering."

Cat shook her head. "Supergirl never takes this long to recover. For some reason, she didn't arrive to help the hostages, and I want to know why."

Eileen, the head of local news, suggested, "Maybe she left the city."

"That's ridiculous," Cat said. "She wouldn't do that." She glared again at Kara, who looked down at her tablet nervously.

Cat surveyed the rest of the employees. Hearing no other theories, she turned to James. "Use your contacts. I want answers by the end of the day. Now get to work, people."

James stopped to talk with Kara on her way out. "Kara… what do you want me to tell her?"

Kara shook her head. "Just tell her that Supergirl is gone."

"Gone?" James asked incredulously. "Are you…" He looked at Kara, saw the grim determination in her eyes, and said, "Okay," lifting his hands in the air in a gesture of surrender. Before the Red Kryptonite, James would have tried to talk with Kara. Now, he didn't even bother, she noted grimly. No one did.

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By midday, Alex was starting to panic. Kara wasn't answering her calls or texts, and there had still been no sign of Supergirl. She wanted to go find Kara at work, but that would have to wait until later. With no Supergirl around to help, she was busier than usual today.

She got a text from James Olsen. "Kara says Supergirl is gone." Her heart sank. No wonder her sister had been avoiding her calls. She needed to talk with Kara, and soon.

It was four p.m. by the time Alex had a chance to visit Kara at work. When she got there, she was surprised to see that Kara's desk was empty. Her arrival, however, did not go unnoticed by the Queen of All Media.

"You must be the sister," Cat called out. "Kara went home sick today, despite not being the least bit sick."

Alex paused, torn between ignoring the woman, sticking up for her sister, or asking for more details. Seeing her hesitation, Cat gestured her into the office by crooking a finger. Alex found herself following the woman out to her private balcony.

"Ms. Grant…" Alex began.

"Ms. Danvers. I recognize you from TV. You're the one she injured in the fight. Even if I hadn't, the cast on your arm is a pretty good indication."

"Yes, I was injured as we were taking Supergirl in. I'm fine."

"She's not, though," Cat declared.

"I beg your pardon?"

"Ms. Danvers, Kara does not take sick days. And Supergirl doesn't stay away from hostage situations, for an entire day. Something is wrong."

"I'm sorry, Ms. Grant. I'm not seeing the connection. Supergirl was obviously busy dealing with something else, or I'm sure she would've been there. And Kara doesn't take time off unless she needs it, so she must not be feeling well."

"Spare me, Ms. Danvers. I'm not an idiot. I know they're the same person. And I know that Kara sat here yesterday, looking thoroughly miserable, while the hostage situation played out on TV. And today she showed up in a hideous dress, and left early this afternoon despite not actually being sick." She paused. "And an hour ago, James Olsen told me that, and I quote, 'Supergirl is gone.'"

Alex closed her eyes. She needed to convince the woman that Kara was not Supergirl. She needed to convince Kara to BE Supergirl again. If Kara would even talk to her, that is.

As if sensing her growing panic, Cat softened her voice, knowing that the woman was close to relenting. "Ms. Danvers, I want to help her. Supergirl means so much to this city. If Kara thinks that we're better off without Supergirl, then she is sorely mistaken. What can I do to help?"

Alex sank down onto a chair, and rested her head in her hands. "Ms. Grant, I don't know what you want me to say. You have this theory that Kara and Supergirl are the same person, and they're not. I'm going to check on Kara, and make sure she's okay, because you're right, she rarely gets sick. But regarding the Supergirl stuff, I really can't help you."

Cat sighed. This woman was a much better liar than her sister. "Ms. Danvers, please just make sure that Kara is okay. As much as I pick on her and berate her, I do care about her, and something is clearly wrong. And if you happen to speak with Supergirl, please tell her that this city needs her. I need her."

Alex stared at the woman for a moment. Then she nodded briefly, and left.


	2. Chapter 2

Alex knocked on the door of Kara's apartment. "Kara? It's me, Alex."

There was no answer.

"Kara? I know you can hear me. Please let me in. I want to talk to you."

Still nothing.

Alex sighed, and picked up the spare key underneath the mat. "I'm coming in." She entered the apartment. She was surprised to see that no one was home. Kara's place was a mess, with the shades drawn and clothes strewn everywhere, but there was no sign of Kara. "Damn it," Alex muttered. Where could she have gone? She thought briefly about using Kara's tracker to find her, but that seemed like an invasion of privacy. So she settled in to wait.

As it turned out, Kara had gone to a bar. There was a secret she had kept from Alex for a while – she'd stolen a small amount of Kryptonite, keeping it in a lead case in her apartment. She didn't know why she'd done it, but she was glad she had. Right now, she was wearing it as a makeshift necklace, and it was making the alcohol she was drinking much more enjoyable. She was developing what Alex would call a nice buzz, and well on her way to being drunk.

Kara sat there through two more drinks, watching yet another disaster play out on the television. She had planned to drink until she felt numb to the suffering she was witnessing, but she eventually gave up on that pipe dream. She stood unsteadily, threw some money down on the bar, and headed home. Maybe she'd be able to sleep tonight.

When she got to her apartment, she was alarmed to discover that the door was unlocked. She opened the door, and Alex spun around to greet her. "Where the hell have you been?" Alex asked.

Alex took a couple of steps toward her sister, and then studied her more closely. "Have you been drinking?"

"I'm fine, Alex," Kara said, slurring her words slightly. The stumbling steps she took toward the kitchen table made her assertion even less convincing.

"What the fuck?" Alex said. "How are you drunk?"

"Well," Kara began, "all it took was five… no, six… mixed drinks."

Alex grabbed Kara, and began to search her. "Where is it? Kara, what are you doing to yourself?"

Kara used a slight burst of super-speed to distance herself from her sister. "Alex, I'm fine." She took another step, and then tripped on a pair of shoes she'd left on the floor. "Oops."

As she fell, Alex spotted the greenish tinge under her shirt. Before she could get to her feet, Alex was grabbing the Kryptonite from around her neck. "Kara, where did you get this?" Alex asked angrily.

"Dunno. I guess it was lying around somewhere." Kara was a terrible liar when sober, and even worse when she was drunk. Although, now that she thought about it, she was feeling less drunk already, with Alex removing the Kryptonite from around her neck. That was a shame.

"Kara… Damn it, Kara, why are you doing this?"

"Come on, Alex, everyone gets drunk. Why shouldn't I?"

Alex sighed. "Because you're Kara. Because you're Supergirl, and you're better than this."

Kara laughed bitterly. "Not anymore, Alex. Haven't you heard? Supergirl is dead. Now it's just me, a lousy assistant to a boss who hates me, with no clothes other than the ones I burnt to a crisp, and no money, and no friends. They're all gone. Just like my planet. Just like I should be. Now it's just me. And I can drink if I want to."

Alex was staring at her, fighting the tears in her eyes. "No, Kara," she whispered. "This isn't you."

"It is now, Alex. Now you should probably leave me too, just like everyone else. Don't you even remember what I did to you? What I said? It's time for you to give up on me too. Don't worry; I already have."

"Oh, Kara," Alex answered sadly. "I would never, ever give up on you."

"No?" Kara asked. She quickly grabbed the Kryptonite back from Alex, turning it so that its jagged edge was like a knife in her hand. "How about now?" she asked, as she stabbed the Kryptonite into her own wrist.

Alex winced at the sight of Kara stabbing herself, and the tears brimmed over. "Kara, don't do that. Please don't do that. Please stop. Kara, I need you."

The sight of Alex's tears did what Alex's words couldn't. Kara crumpled. "Alex, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I don't know what's wrong with me. I didn't mean to hurt you." She handed the Kryptonite, now drenched in her blood, back to Alex. "I'm so sorry," she whispered, curling into herself on the floor.

Alex grabbed the Kryptonite and searched the apartment until she found the lead box that it had been stored in. She placed it into the lead box, and shut it tightly. Then she ran back over to Kara, relieved to see that the blood was slowing. "Kara, we need to get you to the DEO right now. Then we're going to talk about this. But first, we're going to make sure you're safe. Are you going to make it if I drive you?"

Kara nodded. "It's starting to heal. It'll just take some time. You don't really need to bring me there."

Alex responded, "Actually, Kara, I do. I need you to be okay. And I'm not sure I trust your word right now. You're really scaring me, and I can't afford to lose you."

Kara sighed and lowered her head. "I'm sorry."

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Once they reached the DEO, Alex led Kara to the treatment area. She sought out Dr. Morris, whom she knew she could trust. "Dr. Morris, Kara has a Kryptonite wound on her wrist. Can you check it out for me?"

Dr. Morris looked at her quizzically, and then nodded. She examined the wound, and was concerned that it wasn't healing very quickly. Looking more closely, she found several small Kryptonite fragments in the wrist. "We're going to need to get these out. I'm sorry; this is going to hurt a little bit." She dug around with a pair of tweezers, and pulled out each of the fragments. Kara winced and gritted her teeth, but didn't say a word.

"Okay," Dr. Morris finally said. "That should do it. Let me just clean the wound, and it'll be okay." She used some antiseptic creams to treat the wound, which was rapidly closing. "Boy, I wish I had your immune system," the doctor said, patting her hand.

"Now," Dr. Morris continued, "How on earth did you get Kryptonite in your wrist?"

Kara closed her eyes. Alex said, "Let's just call it an accident."

Dr. Morris studied her for a moment. "Well, please make sure that there aren't any other shards of Kryptonite lying around that she could accidentally cut herself on." Alex nodded grimly.

Kara felt awful. Not only had her sister been worried about her – now, she had to spend the evening dealing with Kara's stupid maneuvers. Why hadn't she waited until Alex left? She knew Alex would stop her. Maybe that's what she had been counting on. Maybe she wasn't brave enough to follow through with it.

Alex looked at Kara, and said, "I think you should stay here tonight."

"What? No. I'm fine. Look, it's already almost healed."

Alex shook her head. "That's not what I mean. Kara, I need you to be okay. I'm afraid to leave you alone right now. We need to talk about all of this, but right now I just need to make sure you're okay. If I keep you here, I can use the Kryptonite cuffs and make sure you don't do anything to yourself."

"Alex," Kara responded, "I gave you the Kryptonite. I'm fine. I was just upset. I'll be fine. Don't lock me up like a criminal."

Alex shook her head. "I don't know, Kara. I'm so scared. I think we just need to keep you safe."

Kara put her head in her hands. Now Alex hated her. Alex didn't even want to talk to her, didn't want to know what was going on. She just wanted to lock Kara up, just like everyone else did with Supergirl. Why bother stopping her, then? Why didn't Alex just leave her the hell alone?

"Kara?" Alex asked gently.

Kara shook her head. "Whatever, Alex. Just do it, and leave me alone."

Alex's heart sank. Kara thought Alex was rejecting her. She needed Kara to know that she cared about her sister. She was doing this because she loved Kara, and couldn't stand to think of her being gone. But words didn't seem to have any effect on Kara right now. She didn't know how to get through to the girl. She just knew that she needed to keep her safe.

"Kara, I love you," Alex said desperately. "I don't want to lock you up. I just want you to promise me you'll be okay tonight, and that you'll talk to me about this when you calm down."

"I'll be fine," Kara said dully.

Alex sighed. That was not terribly convincing, but she couldn't bear to lock her sister up. Not if it meant making Kara feel abandoned. "Okay, then we're sleeping at your place. I'll take the couch."

"No," Kara responded. "You're going home to sleep in your bed. I've made your life hard enough tonight."

"This is not negotiable, Kara. It's either me staying over or you stay here in cuffs."

"Okay," Kara sighed. She just kept making Alex's life harder.


	3. Chapter 3

Kara woke up the next morning to get ready for work. She was stopped on her way out the door by her sister, holding a box of crullers. "No," Alex insisted. "You are not going to work today. We need to talk."

"Alex," sighed Kara, "I can't stay home. Ms. Grant is getting close to firing me, and this will just make things worse."

"Give me your phone," said Alex.

"What?"

"Just give me your phone." Kara handed over her phone, and Alex searched for Cat Grant's number. She selected it and dialed, praying that the woman was awake.

"What are you doing?" Kara demanded in a panicky voice.

"Yes, hello, is this Ms. Grant? This is Alex Danvers; we spoke yesterday? Yes, well, Kara really needs to take a sick day today. Will that be all right? Thank you so much, Ms. Grant. Sure, I'll check in with you about tomorrow as soon as I know for sure. Okay, bye."

Kara stood there with her mouth open. "She didn't yell at you?" Kara asked incredulously.

Alex laughed. "Kara, when I stopped in to see you yesterday, she asked me to make sure that you were okay, and to let her know what she could do to help. She does care about you, believe it or not. She's worried about you." Alex left off the part about Cat also knowing that she was Supergirl. Kara didn't need another thing to worry about right now.

Kara just stared at her. "Ms. Grant said that? Cat Grant? My boss?"

"She doesn't hate you, Kara." Alex smiled, and then continued. "So there are two things we're going to do today. We're going to talk, and we're going to keep talking until you actually tell me what's going on with you. And then, we're going shopping. You need to replace some burnt outfits. Mom heard about your bedroom fire, and she gave me her credit card and said to please take you shopping. And you know how she gets when we don't follow her orders."

Kara was torn between feeling grateful to Alex for taking care of her – again – and feeling guilty about how much everyone was trying to do for her, even though she didn't deserve any of it. But she knew that no matter what she said, Alex wasn't going anywhere. Plus, there were crullers. So she might as well talk to Alex.

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Kara stared at the floor. "Alex, I just can't stand myself right now. Everyone hates me. You – you should be more upset with me than anyone, and I don't know why you're even talking to me. Cat said it best – no one can trust me anymore. I completely agree. And if I'm not Supergirl, no one will bother with the Red Kryptonite and stuff that puts people in danger. No one has to get hurt, especially if I don't make anyone talk to me. They survived before Supergirl, and they'll survive again. No one needs me."

"Whoa," Alex began, "hang on just a second. I need you. I need you to be here, and to be okay. I almost put you in handcuffs last night because I was so scared of losing you." She took a deep breath. "Kara, I need you so much. You are the most important person in the world to me, and I can't lose you." Alex's eyes were tearing up, and her voice held a hint of desperation.

"Alex," Kara said, "you don't need me. Just imagine how much better your life would be if you didn't always have to look out for me."

"Better?" Alex asked incredulously, tears overflowing. "Jesus, Kara. You mean everything to me. Do you know how much I look forward to our movie nights? Do you know how much I depend on your optimism? When you became Supergirl, National City learned the value of hope and courage, but I already knew it. I already knew you, and you were a hero long before you put on a cape. You're my rock, Kara. I need you."

Tears were streaming down Kara's face as well. "Alex, I've always been in your way."

"No, Kara. Sure, when you first got here, I was annoyed to suddenly have to share everything – a bathroom, my parents, my time. But Kara, it's impossible not to love you. And once I got to know you, and realized how much you were hurting, all I wanted to do was to keep that light shining in your eyes, because it gave me hope too. I forgot all about being jealous when I realized how incredibly lucky I was to have you in my life."

Kara sighed. She wasn't that person anymore. Maybe she never had been. But Alex was trying, despite everything, and she owed it to Alex to accept that. She reached forward and wrapped her sister into a hug. "Alex, I'm sorry. I'm sorry about all those things I said, and I'm sorry I scared you. I hope you know you're the most important person in my life, and I hope you realize how much of a hero you are to me."

Alex hugged back, as tightly as she could. "Kara, I know that, and I just want you to understand how much I love you. I never, ever want to lose you." She took a deep breath, and then leaned back to look into Kara's eyes. "Or Supergirl."

Kara shook her head. "I can't do it, Alex. People hate me, and they should. I hurt the whole city. I'm so afraid of losing control again. What if there's more Red Kryptonite, or worse? I can't take that chance."

Alex sighed. "Kara, you know how much I fought against you being Supergirl. So for me to admit this shows you how far you've come. This city needs you, and not just because you save people. This city needs the hope and love that you provide. You inspire people every day. Please come back."

"No, Alex. I just can't right now. I'm not that person anymore."

Alex sighed. She knew that pushing Kara right now would be pointless. She would have to keep working on it. And maybe Supergirl could use a break.

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"Alex, I can't wear this!"

"Of course you can. Kara, that's a great look for you. You need to show off those beautiful arms and legs of yours. That dress is completely work-appropriate, but it also makes you look hot."

Kara sighed. This was the seventh outfit that Alex had said would make her look sexy or hot, and it was making her nervous. "Alex, I don't go to work to look sexy. I'm there to do a job."

"Who says you can't do both? Kara, you're a beautiful woman. There is absolutely nothing wrong with looking good. Many people have tried it, and very few can pull it off the way you can."

"All right, Alex, but when Ms. Grant starts making comments, you're going to hear about every one of them."

"I can't wait." Alex grinned. She would love to hear Ms. Grant even try to criticize how Kara looked in that outfit. She was stunning. "Let's pay for these and get out of here. It's time for pizza and ice cream."

"Yes!" Kara said eagerly. Alex grinned. Some things, at least, never changed.

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On her way home, Alex went by CatCo, hoping that Cat Grant might still be in her office. Taking a chance, she rode the elevator up and stepped into the bullpen. Cat glanced up to see who was arriving, and looked mildly surprised to see Alex striding in.

"Ms. Danvers," Cat said, raising an eyebrow. "I did want to know whether Kara was coming in tomorrow, but you didn't need to come all the way here to tell me."

Alex smiled. "First of all, it's Agent Danvers, but you can call me Alex. And I wanted to talk with you."

"Okay, Alex." Cat nodded. "Since you don't work for me, you can call me Cat. Come on in. Have a seat." She inclined her hand toward the sofa, and sat down on the other one.

"Thanks, Cat." Alex entered the office, and settled onto the couch. "You were right. Kara is having a really hard time. She would kill me if she knew I was even here, never mind telling you anything. But despite all the horror stories I've heard about you, I think I can trust you to look out for her."

Cat smiled. "I promise, I'm not quite as awful as you've heard. Alex, I know I've been brutal to Kara. I've been trying to toughen her up, but I've also been trying to push her away. I don't want her to know I have a soft spot for her, both as Kara and as Supergirl." She put her hand up as Alex flinched. "Alex, if I were going to share her secret, I would have done it a long time ago. Can we just agree, for this conversation, that she is Supergirl? I promise I will never hold you to it."

Despite every instinct, Alex nodded. Kara would be furious with her just for being here. If she was going to trust Cat Grant to help her sister, however, she would need to be honest with the older woman.

"Thank you, Alex," Cat said sincerely. "I'm glad you trust me. Certainly more than Kara does."

Alex looked up in surprise. "You told her you would fire her! You said she shouldn't be working here if she was Supergirl. Why do you think she's so desperate to hide it from you?"

Cat closed her eyes. She had forgotten that little maneuver, part of her twisted game to get Kara to be honest. "I did, didn't I?" she mused sadly. "Well, I guess I created this mess for myself, then." She looked at Alex. "I wouldn't, you know. That was a stupid thing to say. I was just trying to get her to react, and I regret it immensely. Maybe someday she'll trust me enough to believe that."

"For what it's worth, I believe you," Alex said softly.

Cat nodded. "Now tell me about Kara. What's going on with her?"

"Cat, last night Kara hurt herself." She saw Cat flinch. "If I hadn't been there…" Alex shivered. She could feel the tears threatening to spill over. "I'm just so worried about her. I don't know how to help. I would do anything for her, but I don't know what to do." Now the tears did come. Alex buried her head in her hands.

Cat got up from behind her desk. The thought that Kara would hurt herself was terrifying. She hoped that the agent hadn't seen the panicked look on her face when she heard those words. She walked over and sat next to Alex, then put her hand on Alex's back and rubbed it gently. "Why is she so upset?"

Alex shook her head. "She thinks she alienated everyone. She thinks we're all better off without Supergirl, in case she gets out of control again. She thinks I hate her, and James hates her, and she is a hundred percent sure that you hate her and are about to fire her. She thinks she let everyone down, and doesn't deserve to be here anymore. She feels like she lost everyone, just like she lost her first planet." Alex took a few deep breaths to calm herself down. "I tried to convince her that I need her here. I'm hoping she won't try to hurt herself again. But she's not willing to be Supergirl anymore. She doesn't think she should."

Cat sat quietly, absorbing this information. "I don't care if she's Supergirl. I just want her to be Kara, the girl with the infectious smile, whom everyone loves. Not because she's such a good assistant – though she is – but because she is such a beautiful person. The best thing about Supergirl was that I got to talk to her, not as boss to assistant, but as her friend."

She paused for a moment to think, then shook her head. "But I don't think Kara can stop being Supergirl. Alex, it was killing her not to help with that hostage situation. She's not someone who can sit by and wait for others to help. She's going to need to get back to helping people, or she'll never feel better about herself."

"I know," Alex acknowledged. "But she's not willing to even discuss it with me. I don't know what to do."

"Alex, what caused the drastic change last week? Did something happen to set her off?"

"Yeah," Alex acknowledged bitterly. "Max Lord happened. There's a substance that weakens her, called Kryptonite. And if you ever anything about Kryptonite, by the way, I will kill you myself. Max Lord tried to create his own Kryptonite, but he got the formula wrong. He created a version that just brings out a Kryptonian's darkest impulses. He basically turned her into a monster. Kara is terrified that it could happen again. There's nothing that scares her more than losing control."

Cat shook her head. "Max Lord. Of course he would do something like that."

Alex nodded. "He would do anything to get rid of Kara. He's terrified of her power."

Cat nodded, then looked at Alex. "I'll do whatever I can to help. Maybe I can talk with her about it. It's not going to be easy, because she's not going to acknowledge being Supergirl, but I'll try." Cat paused for a moment, then handed Alex a card with her number on it. "Call me anytime, okay? Whatever I can do."

Alex nodded. She grabbed a blank piece of paper from the desk, and wrote her own number down. "Likewise," she said.


	4. Chapter 4

When Cat walked into the office the next morning, she reached to grab her latte from her assistant's hand, then almost tripped as she glanced at Kara's outfit. She managed to recover before falling, but spilled her latte all over the floor. Cat quickly escaped into her office to compose herself, while Kara mopped up the liquid. Once there, however, she couldn't help staring at Kara from behind the glass walls. The young woman looked stunning. The black dress accentuated her curves, her stunning body, and her gorgeous arms and legs. What happened to the ugly outfits she'd been wearing the previous few days? Cat almost missed those outfits. They made it much easier to concentrate.

"Kiera!" She needed to act like everything was normal. At least until she figured out how on earth to get Kara to open up to her. Kara came rushing into the room, looking terrified. "Kiera, that outfit is… not terrible."

Kara looked up in surprise. "Thank you, Ms. Grant," she said, not sure what to make of the non-insult.

"Mmm. You should wear things like that more often. I'm guessing your sister took you shopping?"

Kara nodded, confused. "Yes, she mentioned she talked with you."

"Well, it's clear that she inherited all the fashion sense in the family. Tell her to take you more often."

"Oh, she's not actually related to me," Kara volunteered. Wondering why she was bothering to tell Cat Grant this, she nonetheless continued, "She's the daughter of my foster parents."

Cat looked up, and lowered her glasses. "That's right, I had forgotten you mentioned foster parents. How old were you when you went to live with them?"

Kara wasn't sure why Cat was suddenly taking such an interest in her family history, but it was unsettling, to say the least. "I was thirteen."

"It must have seemed overwhelming, starting a new life at that age." Cat frowned. "Did you always get along well with Alex?"

Kara nodded. "She's looked after me since the day I arrived. I think she resented me a little at first, but she got over it pretty quickly. Now she's my best friend."

Cat looked at her intently for a moment, seemingly trying to decipher something in her expression. "She seems fascinating. I would enjoy getting to know the sister of the best assistant I've ever had."

Kara tried, unsuccessfully, to stop her mouth from falling open in surprise. She was speechless. Where was this all coming from? She thought she'd been one misstep away from being fired – and that was before the spilled latte.

Cat had uttered the sentence intending to provoke a reaction, but she winced at the look of utter shock on Kara's face. The girl honestly did think that Cat hated her.

Recovering her ability to speak, Kara attempted to respond. "I can… I can bring her by sometime."

Cat nodded. "I would like that," she answered briskly. "Now, go get me another latte." She hesitated, and then decided she needed to make an attempt to be nicer. "Please."

Kara looked up in surprise, then nodded and disappeared.

Well, at least she knows that I don't hate her now, Cat thought. She hadn't gotten very far, but she'd obtained some valuable information. Clearly, she had a lot of work to do.

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Kara was trying to function. She owed it to Alex to not be a burden. She loved her older sister so much, and it wasn't fair to let Alex worry about her. Causing Alex more pain was the last thing she wanted to do. If she could somehow push her sister away before hurting herself, then things would be easier, but she hadn't yet found a way to do that without upsetting her sister.

She wanted to be dead. She hated knowing that she had hurt so many people, and that it could easily happen again: she would always be just one failed Max Lord experiment away from losing control. The only way to avoid that was by not being Supergirl, but refusing to don the cape took away the one thing that made her worth anything. If she couldn't help people, then she didn't deserve to be here. Not after everything she'd done.

Why had she stabbed her wrist while Alex was there? Was it because she knew her sister would react? Why couldn't she just leave Alex out of this? All she'd had to do was convince Alex she was okay, and her sister would have left her alone. And if Alex had just left her alone, she could be dead right now.

Kara didn't know what to do anymore. Would it be better to be gone, once and for all? Once Alex got over the shock, she'd be better off; Kara knew that beyond a shadow of a doubt. Alex would have a chance to live her own life, rather than always having to help with Kara's. Right now, though, she couldn't seem to convince her sister of that.

For the moment, Kara would try to minimize the impact she had on her sister's life. She would have to be okay, at least as far as Alex was concerned. She refused to be a burden on her sister. Alex had devoted herself to taking care of Kara, and Kara couldn't stand the thought of hurting her. She would have to stay alive, for now at least, until she could find a way to minimize the impact of her death on her sister – or better yet, managed to convince her sister of the truth: the world was better off without her.

"Fire at warehouse on 14th St. You available?"

Kara sighed. Alex had taken to sending her texts whenever something was happening that could use Supergirl's assistance. Kara knew that Alex was just trying to help, but she hated those texts. They reminded her of how useless she was now, and how pathetic. So when she saw Alex approaching her desk at lunchtime, Kara shook her head. "No, Alex, I'm not doing it."

Alex sighed. She knew that Kara would continue to refuse, although it upset her that Kara thought so little of her abilities. "Actually, Kara, I brought you lunch." She held up a pizza box.

Kara couldn't help it. Her eyes lit up at the sight of pizza. The look of delight was quickly replaced by one of guilt and despair. "Alex, you didn't have to do that," she protested weakly. "You have much more important things to do."

"More important than feeding my sister? Not a chance," said Alex, smiling gently. She was so worried about Kara. There had been no sick days, and no threats of injury, since that awful night. But Kara's mood hadn't really improved. Kara was obviously trying to hold herself together for Alex, trying not to call attention to herself. Alex almost wished that her sister would make her feelings more obvious, because at least then she could address the sadness she saw lurking in Kara's eyes. Instead, she resigned herself to small gestures of love like this one. Eventually, she would get Kara to talk.

Cat Grant, staring at the sisters from behind the glass wall, was having similar thoughts. But Cat was not nearly as patient a woman as Alex. She had seen the emptiness in Kara's gaze, the spark that was missing from her eager assistant, and the sadness that crept across her face whenever someone needed help. She had made small inroads in the last few days, learning bits about the young woman's past, but she couldn't stand to sit by passively anymore. She needed to do something.

"Kiera!" she barked, and saw Kara stiffen and Alex glance over with a curious gaze. A moment later, Kara appeared in her doorway. "I'm about to have lunch, and I see that your sister has arrived with yours. Come have lunch with me on the balcony, and bring your sister along, if she has time. I'd like to get to know her."

Kara paused. What was Cat doing? Why had the woman been so interested in her personal life lately? Why would she want to have lunch with her assistant? Was this one of Cat's little games, just another way to manipulate Kara? Pretending to be nice, so that it would hurt that much more when she turned around and fired her assistant?

Suddenly, the lunch she'd been about to enjoy seemed much less appealing. She nodded, thoroughly overwhelmed, and turned to break the news to Alex. To her surprise, Alex looked up at Cat and smiled, and said she'd like that.

The two entered Cat's office. She beckoned them toward the balcony, lettuce wrap in hand. When the three had settled into chairs, Cat watched as Kara grabbed a slice of pizza. The girl had the taste buds of a twelve-year-old, focused entirely on takeout and junk food. It must be nice to have the Kryptonian's metabolism, she thought, amused and slightly jealous.

Never one for wasting time, Cat got right to the point. "Alex, I'm glad you're here. I do want to get to know you better, but I brought you out here to help me talk with Kara." She saw the superhero look up in alarm.

Alex nodded slightly. "You're ambushing her," she stated, not seeming particularly surprised or upset by the tactic.

"I prefer to think of it as an intervention," Cat said, smiling slightly. "It sounds a bit more positive."

In a panic, Kara glanced from Alex to Cat, and back again. Why was this happening? Why wasn't Alex putting a stop to this? Cat had even used her real name. This was not good. She desperately searched for a way out of this conversation, but found none. "What is going on here?" Kara asked desperately.

"Kara," Cat began, "I'm worried about you. Something is clearly wrong. Now, you know I'm not particularly good at expressing my feelings, but what I'm seeing is bothering me enough to get over that and talk with you."

Kara immediately began to apologize and promise she would do a better job, desperate to please her boss. Cat held up her hand to silence the girl. "I'm not concerned about your work. You are always excellent at your job. I'm concerned because you seem very unhappy, and I want to help."

Alex chimed in. "Kara, you're isolating yourself. You're trying to pretend that things are better, but they're obviously not. I wish you would let me in."

Oh God. They were ganging up on her. Kara looked down at her shoes. "Ms. Grant," she began unconvincingly, "I appreciate your concern, but I'm fine. I had a rough couple of days, but I'm okay now. Please don't worry about me."

Cat shook her head. "Kara, you're not okay. Not even close. The life is gone from your eyes. You're keeping to yourself, and you seem very alone. And Supergirl has gone missing, and that's such an integral part of you that I can't stand seeing you abandon it."

At the mention of Supergirl, Kara leapt out of her chair, pizza forgotten. "Ms. Grant, I told you, I'm not Supergirl. I don't know where she's gone, but I assure you it has nothing to do with me." She turned her panicked gaze to Alex, expecting her sister to support her denials. Instead, she saw Alex looking at her with a sad, worried gaze.

Alex briefly considered siding with her sister, and maintaining the illusion of secrecy. But she could see how concerned Cat was about Kara, and she knew that the older woman wouldn't divulge Kara's secret. The two of them needed to work together to help Kara, and that was the only important thing right now. "Kara, it's okay," she said softly. "She already knows, and she's not going to expose you, or fire you. She wants to help you. So do I. We're both worried about you."

Kara walked quickly to the edge of the balcony, grasping the railing as if she wanted to fly away and never return. She looked scared, angry, and defeated; like a trapped animal, ready to take off at any moment. Cat thought she had never seen Kara looking so beautiful. She wanted to reach out and comfort the hero. "Kara, please just listen to me," she said in a quiet, soothing voice. "Please let us in. We want to help you, whatever it takes. I hate seeing you isolating yourself. People love you, and one bad week could never change that. Whatever you need, I'm here."

Mind reeling, Kara tried to process what she was hearing. She wanted to run as far away as she could from these caring, penetrating gazes. She didn't deserve their sympathy, or their time. She didn't deserve to be alive. Why were they trying to pretend that she did? Why were they making things so much harder? Why couldn't everyone just leave her alone?

She shook her head. "Why are you doing this?" she asked sadly. "Can't you see it's not helping anyone?" A few tears ran down her cheeks. "I deserve to be alone. I don't deserve to even be here right now. I don't want you to care. I don't want anyone to. Please, can you both just go on with your lives and stop wasting your time on me? I don't want your help. I don't deserve anyone's help. I just want to die." She sank to her knees and put her head in her hands as the tears started pouring out.

The pain in Kara's voice broke Alex's heart. She stood up and walked over to Kara, wanting to envelop her in a hug. Instead, Kara flinched and jumped off the balcony, hovering a few feet away. "Please don't," she whispered, voice breaking. "Please, Alex." She took off, soaring into the distance so quickly it took a moment for Cat and Alex to realize she was gone.

Alex sank into a chair, defeated. She couldn't stand seeing Kara like this. She didn't know what to do, and she was so afraid for her sister. She curled up and buried her head into her knees, a few tears escaping.

Cat squeezed Alex's shoulder, trying to hold back her own tears. "Alex, we'll figure out some way to get through to her. We have to."

Keeping her feelings buried was something that Cat did exceptionally well. It was a useful skill to have, in the boardroom and in negotiations, but it had become so ingrained that sometimes she didn't even recognize her own feelings for what they were. In the case of Kara, she had buried them deep.

For a long time, she had acknowledged that she felt protective of Kara. She criticized Kara to toughen the girl's skin, knowing how important it was for a woman to maintain her composure in the face of adversity. Compliments were rare in this business, and Kara needed to get used to that if she was going to advance. But recently, she had taken it too far, going out of her way to hurt Kara whenever possible. She saw it as justified, based on Kara's rejection of her son, but she understood why Kara had ended that relationship. Being Supergirl made it hard to begin a relationship with anyone, and she knew that Kara was just trying to protect Adam. When Siobhan had written that fake email from Kara, she knew instantly that the girl could never have written it, and it reminded her that while she was being petty and demeaning, Kara was always the ultimate professional. She wished she could take back some of the awful things she'd said, but she would have to move forward.

Now, she was finding it harder and harder to deny what she really felt for Kara. She had a crush on the girl. Cat sighed. Of course she did. What better way to fit the middle-aged boss cliché than to fall for her young, gorgeous assistant?

At this point, she would be happy if the girl would just talk to her. She knew that Kara desperately needed support, and she wanted to be there to help the young woman. But so far, Kara was refusing to allow anyone in.

She turned to Alex, who had calmed down enough to stop crying. "Alex, do you have proof that Max Lord was involved in last week's incident?"

Alex nodded warily. "He was the one who told us. He helped us to come up with the antidote."

"Hmm." Cat considered the situation for a few moments. "I think it's time for Max to come clean about that. Maybe that would help the public to rally around Supergirl. And perhaps if Kara sees that, she'll realize that she hasn't lost the city."

Alex nodded thoughtfully. "It can't hurt. If nothing else, it will help clear her image. Just be careful not to reveal anything that could harm Supergirl. And remember, nothing is ever easy, with Max."

Cat laughed. "Oh, I'm well aware." She thought briefly of her complete lapse in judgment that had led to a short fling with the scientist, and shuddered. But enough of that. "Alex, will you please call me when you hear from her?"

"Cat, I can do better than that. We have a tracker on her phone. I don't like to use it except in case of emergencies, but I'm pretty sure this qualifies." She pulled up an app on her own phone. "Right now she's… wow, she's moving fast." She looked up. "Looks like she's blowing off some steam. I'm going to head to the… my office. I'll keep an eye on her, and let you know when I hear anything, okay?"

Cat nodded, and went to work on exposing Max Lord.


	5. Chapter 5

Kara was drifting. After a couple of trips around the globe, her panic had receded slightly, and she was trying to collect her thoughts… particularly those that centered around her mystifying boss.

Cat Grant apparently didn't hate her. Cat had said she cared about Kara. She remembered the older woman's words, spoken softly and sincerely. 'Whatever you need, I'm here.' Kara couldn't reconcile that kind, sweet gaze with the cutting remarks and bitter insults she'd received in the last few weeks. And Cat knew she was Supergirl? Now, the woman was going to fire her for sure. Except… she hadn't yet, and apparently had already known about Kara's alter ego.

Maybe that's why Cat had been nicer lately. She felt bad for the troubled superhero. Perhaps she even felt guilty for denouncing Supergirl – although Kara would be the first to admit that Cat had been right about that. She probably felt she owed the girl a few weeks to get her act together. Maybe she was frustrated by how long it was taking, and figured she'd try to speed things up by talking with Kara. That was surely it. Just pity, and impatience.

Kara sighed. She idolized Cat Grant. She respected what the woman had accomplished, and what she stood for. Cat had done amazing things for women in all walks of life, and Kara admired that. In addition, she had a softer side – one that she never let her competitors see, but that affected every decision she made. Cat went out of her way to help others, and was determined never to acknowledge her own work in these areas. Kara respected the woman tremendously, and aspired to be just like her someday.

At first, she'd thought that's all it was. But slowly, she had begun to realize that she wasn't just impressed by Cat. She was attracted to her. One day, when Cat had come to work in a tight black skirt and sleeveless white blouse, Kara's racing heart had forced her realize she had a crush on her sexy, gorgeous boss. Her feelings had only grown stronger since then, until she reluctantly acknowledged that she was in love with the older woman.

Kara sighed. It surely wasn't all that unusual to fall in love with one's boss, particularly a beautiful older woman who oozed glamour and sexiness. Still, it was inappropriate. Particularly when she had dated that boss's son, and when the woman was so completely out of her league. Not to mention the fact that Cat hated her, or so she'd thought.

She couldn't go back to work right now. Cat would be there, waiting for her to return, and she wasn't ready to answer Cat's questions. She owed both women an apology, but her boss would undoubtedly want to continue the conversation, and that wasn't something she could handle at the moment. So she would start with Alex. Alex would understand that she wasn't ready to talk about her feelings, and allow her some space. Alex was great like that.

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When Kara reached her destination, she was disappointed to find Alex's lab empty. She had apparently beaten her sister back to the DEO. She settled into a chair, closing her eyes and trying to collect her thoughts while she waited. She overheard Lucy's voice in the command center, and frowned when she remembered that Lucy, not Hank, was now in charge. That was her fault.

"Vasquez, I don't give a damn what she's done for us. She's a danger to National City, and must be stopped. I hope you're right. I hope Supergirl never comes back. Look at what she did to Cat Grant, and Agent Danvers. Aliens like her should be locked up." Lucy hated that deceitful, cunning, caped crusader. The woman had stolen James from her, and used Red Kryptonite as an excuse to go on a rampage.

Vasquez protested, "That was Max Lord's fault. He poisoned her with Red Kryptonite. She wasn't herself."

"He may have poisoned her, but that doesn't give her an excuse for attempted murder. She's a monster, and should be put in a cage."

Kara sat there listening, eyes wide. Lucy's words delivered one gut punch after another. She wished that she could be mad at her friend for betraying her, but it wasn't Lucy's fault – she didn't know that Kara was Supergirl. Even worse, Lucy was entirely correct. She didn't deserve to be here anymore.

Kara took off. She couldn't do this anymore. Alex would just have to understand.

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When Alex returned to the DEO, she glanced again at the tracker on her phone. Kara was flying in the upper atmosphere. She frowned. The air must be pretty thin up there. It probably wasn't a good idea for Kara to be there. She tried to call the superhero, but Kara wasn't picking up.

As she continued to watch the tracker, she noticed that rather than coming back toward Earth, Kara was ascending higher and higher. It was almost like she was… Alex's eyes widened. "No, Kara," she murmured. In a panic, she took off toward the command center, looking for Hank. It took a few seconds before she remembered that Hank was sitting in a prison cell. "Shit." She looked around desperately… and spotted Kara's pod.

She didn't know if it would still fly, but she was going to have to try. The tracker showed Kara's elevation reaching dangerous levels, and she wasn't about to just watch Kara disappear into space. She hopped into the cockpit, to the surprise and alarm of the agents stationed nearby. "Supergirl's in trouble," she explained simply, and slammed the door, locking herself inside. She pulled the steering mechanism upward, and felt the pod lift off the ground. "Hunh. This is like flying for dummies." She aimed the pod toward the door, and pushed upward, shooting quickly into the sky. She quickly set a course toward Kara, and prayed that she would be in time.

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"Get her out of here! Quickly! She's breathing, but just barely." Alex had managed to nudge Kara's unconscious body downward, and followed the body as it plummeted toward the earth, maneuvering the pod to grab Kara before she hit the ground. Once Kara was secure, Alex sped back toward the DEO as quickly as possible.

Doctors grabbed Kara's body and pulled her onto a gurney. Lucy came over. "What the hell happened?" she demanded.

Alex shook her head. "Later," she said. She wasn't going to talk to Lucy, despite Kara's claims that Lucy was a good friend and could be trusted.

But Lucy had stopped moving, and was staring in shock. She whispered, "Holy shit, that's Kara." The hero had lost her glasses, but she was lying there in work clothes. Realization dawned. "Kara is Supergirl. Of course she is." She shook her head, and the look on Lucy's face transformed from anger to anguish. "Oh God, the things I said about her. Oh, Kara." With a deep breath, she asked quietly, "Agent Danvers, what can I do to help?"

Alex said grimly, "Major Lane, we'll probably need all the help we can get. I'll let you know." She sighed, and went to call Cat Grant.

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"Agent Danvers, this is a serious breach of security protocols," Lucy said grimly. "I hope you know what you're doing."

Alex looked at her desperately. "She already knows about Kara. She wants to help. Kara needs friends to be here for her right now. "

Lucy closed her eyes and nodded. Kara needed them. She would have to let everything else go for now.

Cat Grant rushed in, looking regal, glamorous, and completely out of place in the dismal facility. "Alex, where is she? And what the hell is this place?" she asked, looking around in disgust.

"Come with me, Cat," Alex said, beckoning her forward.

Lucy stopped her briefly. "Ms. Grant, you understand that this is highly classified, right?"

Cat looked at her, exasperated. "Ms. Lane, the secret of your dark, scary government dungeon is safe with me. I'm here to help Kara." At that, her gaze softened, and her eyes filled with worry.

Lucy nodded, mollified. "Let's go."

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They stared at Kara, sleeping peacefully under the sun lamps. "I can't believe she actually tried to…" Cat's quivering voice faded out.

Lucy put a hand on her shoulder. "I know," she murmured. Alex had filled her in briefly, and she was reeling with the knowledge that she had nearly lost her friend. How could she have thought that Supergirl was a monster? Kara could never be a monster. If anyone could be trusted with these powers, it was Kara. Lucy had let her own jealousy of the girl, who had stolen James's heart, cloud her judgment. She felt terrible for the things she'd said, and wished she could take her words back. Instead, she sighed, and said, "We're going to help her. We need to."

Kara stirred, and Alex was instantly by her side. She opened her eyes, confused, and saw Alex's worried gaze. "No," she whispered, as realization dawned. "Why didn't you let me go?"

At that desperate plea, Cat's eyes widened, and Lucy gasped. Alex looked stricken. She touched Kara's cheek, and vowed, "Kara, I will never let you go. I need you." Voice breaking, she asked, "Why can't you see that I need you?"

Cat stepped behind Alex and wrapped her arms around the woman from behind. "Alex, it's okay," she whispered. "She's safe now. We're going to keep her that way."

Lucy leaned forward. "Kara," she said desperately. "Please let us help you. Please talk to us. We love you. I've been awful to Supergirl, and I would like a chance to make up for that. Kara, I barely know you, and already I can't bear to lose you. I can't even imagine how Alex feels, and Cat. Please don't shut us out."

Kara closed her eyes miserably. "No. You were right, Lucy. You were right about everything. I should be in a cage."

"What?" asked Alex angrily.

Lucy looked suddenly crushed. "Oh God. What did I do? Kara – no, I was wrong. I was jealous of you. Please believe me."

Alex focused on Kara, leaning down to kiss her forehead. "Kara, I love you so much," she said gently. "Get some rest. We'll talk when you get up, okay?"

Kara nodded, a few tears escaping. She closed her eyes and fell back asleep. Alex turned to walk away, and then simply fell apart, collapsing as sobs wracked her body. Cat caught her, and held her until her sobs subsided.

"I'm so sorry," Lucy said softly. "I said something to Agent Vasquez about how National City was better off without Supergirl, and she must have heard me. I didn't know who she was. I would never have said that about Kara. I was just so jealous of the woman who stole James from me. God, I wish I could take it back."

Alex wanted to punch Lucy for being so insensitive and clueless. She wanted to hurt everyone who had ever said anything bad about Supergirl. She wanted to do whatever it took to erase all the pain from Kara's face. But she would have to settle for figuring out what to do for Kara, and maybe Lucy could help with that.

Giving Lucy a cold stare, Alex said, "We need to figure out what to do." The other women nodded, and followed her into the conference room.


	6. Chapter 6

"I'm so scared for her," Alex said in a small voice, once she had composed herself. The three women were seated in a conference room, trying desperately to come up with a plan to help Kara.

Lucy nodded. "We all are," she admitted.

Alex sighed. Despite her hurtful words, the woman obviously cared for Kara. She turned to Lucy, and explained, "She thinks she's a burden to everyone, and she deserves to be alone. She feels like no one believes in her anymore, and they shouldn't. And she's so afraid of losing control again."

"And of course I made her feel even worse with my comments," Lucy said sadly. "Kara is the kindest, sweetest person I know. How could I have done that to her?"

Alex wasn't very happy with Lucy at the moment, but she wasn't being fair to herself. "You didn't know. You couldn't have known. It's not your fault."

Lucy sighed. "I was unfair to her. I was just so jealous of her, and upset about James, that I couldn't see past it. I'll have to find a way to make it up to her." She looked at Alex and Cat. "What are we going to do now?"

Cat volunteered, "I have a piece on Max Lord running tomorrow. When I called him, he admitted to causing last week's events, and offered his apologies, for whatever that's worth. I explained in the article that I believe Supergirl is staying away because she doesn't believe she is good for the city anymore. I'm hoping that people will rally behind her, and ask Supergirl to come back. She needs to see that they still support her."

Lucy nodded. "And she needs to talk to someone – someone who is trained to deal with the kinds of feelings she's having. Not that we won't talk with her too, obviously, but she needs the best people we can find to help her work through this. I'll arrange something with one of the DEO shrinks."

"The most important thing right now is to keep her safe," Cat said. "I'm worried that the minute she's out of our sight, she's just going to try again."

"We can hold her here," Alex offered, "but she already thinks everyone hates her. Locking her up is just going to confirm that."

"Then we'll just have to kill her with kindness," Cat declared. "She can stay with me. I have plenty of room, and I don't like her being by herself right now. And I'm pretty good at ordering her around. She'll listen to me."

"Cat, are you sure?" Lucy asked. "Can you guarantee she'll be safe?"

Cat shook her head. "Nothing's a guarantee, but if she understands I went out on a limb so she wouldn't have to stay here, I think she'll feel she owes it to me to be safe. At least I will try to impress that upon her."

"You are the master of manipulation, Cat," Lucy said, smiling wryly.

"I try," said Cat, with a weak smile of her own.

Alex's phone beeped to alert her that Kara had woken up. "I'll go get her. Be right back."

A few moments later, Alex returned, with a reluctant superhero a few steps behind. She sagged into a chair, and stared at the floor, unwilling to meet their worried gazes.

"Kara," Alex said quietly, "You scared us."

The young woman closed her eyes. "I'm sorry."

Alex shook her head. "No. I don't need you to be sorry. I need you to understand how much we love you. I can't live without you. You're the person I share all my secrets with. You're the little sister I always look out for. Without you, my life would be so empty. I'm terrified that I'm going to lose you, and I need you. I don't care if you're ever Supergirl again. I just need you to be my baby sister." She sighed. "Kara, I lost my father. I can't lose you too."

Kara flinched at the mention of Jeremiah. There was another loss that she'd been responsible for. She sank further into her chair at the thought that she was causing her sister more pain. Before she could speak, though, Lucy interjected.

"Kara, when I came to National City, I didn't know what to expect. But you – you made this place feel like home to me. I don't know you that well yet, but I consider you the first friend I've met here, and I'm not ready to give you up. Damn it, Kara, I need you to stick around and be my friend. And I need you to give me a chance to do the right thing for Supergirl."

When Lucy had finished talking, Cat took a deep breath and said, "Kara, I know I've been horrible to you. I've belittled you and insulted you and criticized everything from your wardrobe to your lattes. But I want you to understand that it's because I care about you. I wanted to toughen you up, because I think you have a bright future at CatCo, but you need a thick skin to be a successful woman. And maybe I care about you more than I wanted to admit, and I was trying to push you away."

"I said we should keep things professional, but that's not at all what I did. I was mean and spiteful, and it was all to protect myself from getting too close to you. But I'm done with professional. I'm done with lying to myself, and to you. You're important to me, and I care about you, a lot. I'm terrified that I'm going to lose you, and I can't bear the idea of losing you without even giving myself a chance to get to know you. Please, will you give me that chance?" Cat looked at her earnestly, a few tears escaping, and whispered again, "Please?"

At this point, Kara couldn't stop the tears. Everything just hurt so much. A part of her wished these women would leave her alone, while the rest of her was startled to see how much they cared about her. She had known how Alex felt, but Lucy and Cat also seemed really upset. Was she being selfish by ignoring them? Or did she just need to make more of an effort to shut them out, so her actions wouldn't hurt them as much? "I'm so sorry," she said. "I didn't want to hurt anyone. I wanted to believe that no one cared, because then I'd be able to let everything go. It's so much easier that way. That's the way it should be."

"Kara," Alex responded, "that's not the way it should be at all. And you have never been someone who takes the easy way out. You always do the right thing, even when it's impossibly hard. That's what makes you so amazing. Do the right thing now. Give us a chance to love you."

Kara nodded silently, tears still running down her face. Alex reached for her, and hugged her tightly, a lump in her throat at the thought of how close her sister had come. "Kara, I can't lose you," she said desperately.

Kara nodded. "I'm sorry, Alex," she whispered. "I'm here."

"Cat is insisting that you stay with her," Alex said. "We talked about keeping you here, but she wouldn't hear of it. We're not letting you be alone right now, but she says she has plenty of room, and that she trusts you not to do anything stupid while you're there."

Kara nodded weakly, thoroughly overwhelmed. "Okay." She would be staying at Cat Grant's apartment. With a boss who apparently cared about her. What a bizarre turn of events.

"All right, then," Cat said briskly. Let's stop at your house to get some clothes, and then you're coming home with me. You need to get some rest." She turned to Alex and Lucy. "The two of you are welcome to come as well, if you want. There's plenty of room for everyone."

Alex looked at Cat gratefully. "Thank you, Cat, for everything." She knew how hard it had been for Cat to open up to Kara. It had taken this near-catastrophe for Cat to admit that she cared about the younger woman. And Alex sensed that the feelings ran beyond being an overprotective boss. Cat cared deeply for Kara. She wondered what, exactly, that meant, and whether the older woman even knew how strong her feelings were.

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Carter had been entrusted with the task of showing Kara and Alex the guest rooms. Although they hadn't discussed the details, Kara had packed enough clothes for a few days, while Alex was only planning to stay overnight. She trusted Cat with Kara's safety, but was not quite ready to leave her sister's side, after everything that had transpired. Cat had gone to the kitchen to cook dinner, and wanted everyone else out of her way while she worked. Kara lay down on the bed, still exhausted from her earlier trauma, and fell asleep almost instantly. Meanwhile, Carter showed Alex his collection of board games, and the two soon became embroiled in a game of Risk.

About an hour later, Cat informed them that dinner was ready, and she went to wake up Kara. Her heart melted at the sight of the beautiful woman looking so peaceful, and she hated to disturb the tranquility on Kara's face. However, she knew that the superhero would need to ingest some calories after doing so much flying today. She shook Kara gently, speaking quietly. "Wake up, Kara. It's time for dinner." A sleepy voice answered, "K," and a moment later Kara opened her eyes. She was confused to see Cat Grant staring down at her, with her hand on Kara's shoulder. As the image processed in her brain, she sat up quickly. "Oh, Ms. Grant. Sorry to keep you waiting."

Cat sat down on the side of the bed. "Kara, while you're in my house, I'd like it if you called me Cat. I'm not your boss here. I'm just a friend who cares about you."

Kara nodded nervously. "Okay… Cat."

Cat smiled and stood up. "Now come on. It's time for dinner."

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Dinner was fettucini alfredo with chicken and broccoli. Knowing that Kara needed to eat a lot, Cat had purposely chosen a pasta dish, and prepared a huge amount of food. She was disappointed to see Kara picking at her food, and eventually gave in and asked, "Kara, would you rather I made you something else?"

Kara shook her head. "No, I'm sorry. I'm just tired."

Alex encouraged Kara to eat, and her nagging forced Kara to finish two bowls of pasta. Cat smiled at her gratefully. Alex looked at Cat and said, "Don't let her fool you. This is one of her favorite dishes. She's just having a rough day. I bet if you leave some in the fridge, she'll come pig out later."

Cat nodded, and assured Alex that there would be plenty of food left over.

After dinner, Carter and Alex spent more time playing board games, while Kara got ready for bed. The hero was still exhausted, and Cat encouraged her to go to sleep. As she was climbing into bed, Cat came in to say good night. To Kara's surprise, the older woman sat down on the side of the bed and began running her fingers through Kara's hair to soothe her. "Sleep well, Kara. And if you wake up, my bedroom is right across the hall. Will you come and talk to me?"

Kara nodded and closed her eyes, enjoying the pleasant sensation of Cat's fingers running through her hair. Cat kept up the motion until Kara fell asleep, and then crept out of the room. She sighed at at the depth of her feelings. She was just so worried about Kara. She just wanted the hero to be okay. If there was more than that behind her feelings, well, it wasn't important right now.

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A few hours later, Kara jerked awake from a particularly vivid dream. She looked at the clock and discovered it was 11:20 p.m. Feeling her stomach grumbling, she headed for the kitchen, remembering Cat's comment that there would be leftovers. She grabbed a bowl from the cabinet, and spooned some pasta into the bowl. Heating up the food seemed like too much work, so she ate it cold. When she was finished, she padded back toward her room, through the quiet apartment, and noticed that the light was still on in Cat's bedroom.

Cat's behavior today had been incredibly baffling. She had been almost certain that the media mogul hated her until just a few days ago, when Cat suddenly started taking an interest in her. She didn't know what had caused the change, and she didn't understand whether Cat actually liked her, or had just responded out of concern for her well-being. Cat's comments today seemed to indicate that she really cared.

Kara wished that she could reign in her own feelings for the older woman. Cat was being a friend, and Kara needed to stop wishing for something more. She needed to stop imagining that there was more than just worry in Cat's eyes. She knew it would be a terrible idea to visit Cat now, when she was probably wearing a sexy nightgown and looking even hotter than usual. Despite that, she knocked on Cat's door.

Cat had just settled into bed with a magazine when she heard a knock at her door. She felt a flutter in her heart at the thought that it might be Kara, but she quickly scolded herself for even considering being happy right now at the idea that Kara was awake. The poor girl had probably had a nightmare. "Come in," she called out, and smiled gently when Kara walked hesitantly into the room.

"Hi," Kara said shyly. She stood at the doorway, looking ready to bolt.

"Kara, I promise I won't bite. Come, sit down." She patted the bed next to her. "Please," she added when she saw Kara hesitate.

Kara obediently took a seat on the side of the bed, though she still looked uncomfortable. "I just… your light was on, and I was up." She took a deep breath. "I wanted to say thank you. I know I've been awful today, but I wanted you to know how much it means to me that you let me into your home. That you don't hate me after everything that happened, and you're not afraid of having me here."

"Oh, Kara," Cat said softly. "I could never be afraid of you."

"Ms. – Cat, I threw you off a building! I nearly killed you!"

"But you didn't, Kara," Cat pointed out. "And if that was you at your worst, succumbing to all of your darkest impulses, and you still couldn't bear to kill me… then I have nothing to fear. You know that. You knew you weren't going to kill me." She touched Kara's hand gently. "I'm not afraid of you, Kara. And I could never hate you."

She could see the hero struggling to believe her words, hoping they were true. She knew that Kara was not quite ready to take her comments at face value, and she accepted that. After all, she had created this distance. She would have to reduce it over time.

Kara closed her eyes. "I just wish I could somehow take it all back."

Cat knew that Kara wasn't talking about today – she regretted her actions while under the influence of Red Kryptonite. Cat thought about the piece that would run in the morning newspaper. She hoped it would help, but she didn't want to mention it and get the girl's hopes up. "Kara, people know that wasn't who you were. There are lots of rumors circulating about what happened, and none of them blame you. People in National City just want you back. They want their hero, not just to fight crime, but to be their symbol of hope and justice."

Kara said sadly, "I wish I could be that person. I wish I could still be what people want me to be."

Cat responded gently, "Kara, you are. I still believe in you."

Kara smiled at her, sadly, and stood up. "Thanks for everything, Cat."

"Kara…" Cat wanted to say something, find a way to wipe the sadness of Kara's face. But she didn't know what she could possibly say. She settled for expressing her own feelings. "I'm really glad you're here." She squeezed Kara's hand.

Kara nodded uncertainly. "Good night, Cat."

"Good night, Kara."


	7. Chapter 7

When Kara returned to her room, she discovered Alex sitting on her bed. "Hey," Alex said. I heard someone in the kitchen, and figured it must be you. I just wanted to see how you were doing."

Kara sat down next to Alex. "I'm okay, Alex."

"Please. You're not okay at all. Are you doing better than you were earlier today, at least?"

Kara nodded. "A little. I feel less alone."

"Good." Alex looked at Kara, a plea in her eyes. "Kara… can I maybe sleep in your bed with you tonight? I know we haven't done that in a long time, but I just… I need to hold you for a while."

Kara smiled weakly. "I'd like that, Alex."

The two sisters spent the rest of the night snuggled into each other's arms.

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The next morning, Cat woke up earlier than usual. Determined not to waste time lying in bed, she got up and got ready for work. When she entered the kitchen, though, she thought about Kara. She wanted to let the girl sleep, but she also wanted the struggling superhero know that Cat was thinking about her. She suspected, given Kara's child-like tastes in food, that she would enjoy pancakes. She grabbed a bowl and got started.

Kara awoke, wrapped in her sister's arms, to the smell of pancakes. She couldn't stop her stomach from growling at the scent. Giggling, Alex wrapped her arms more tightly around her sister. "I guess breakfast must be ready."

Kara smiled. "Apparently."

The sisters climbed out of bed and made their way to the kitchen, where Cat Grant was waiting for them. Alex smiled and said, "Kara's stomach announced that there might be food."

Cat laughed. "I took a guess that Kara might like pancakes. I made a lot, so I hope you two are hungry." She paused to examine the two sisters. "Did you sleep well?"

Alex nodded. "I made Kara share a bed with me. I didn't really want to let her go," she added, smiling sheepishly. She grabbed plates and silverware, and brought them over to the table.

"Good," Cat said. "I'm sure she appreciated the company." Kara nodded silently, embarrassed.

Cat brought pancakes over to the table. She put them down, and stood next to Kara for a moment, hand resting on the woman's shoulder. "I'm glad you're here," she said quietly.

"Me too," Kara said, barely loud enough for Cat to hear.

Kara's appetite had returned in full force this morning. She attacked the pancakes with gusto, finishing twelve. Alex watched with amusement, while Cat stared in fascination.

When they were done eating, Cat brought over the morning paper. "I thought the two of you would want to see this." Splashed across the front page was the headline, "Max Lord Admits to Poisoning Supergirl." Underneath the headline was a lengthy article written by Cat Grant, including several quotes in large print, such as, "It was an unfortunate mistake" and "turned her into a monster." Within the article, Cat explained that Max Lord had created a substance that affected Supergirl's brain, filling her with darker desires and an inability to control those impulses. She acknowledged that Max had also helped to design the cure, but explained that Supergirl believed the damage had already been done, and the city would no longer want her around.

Alex smiled at Cat, and said, "It's perfect."

Kara was silent, staring at the newspaper with a look of shock on her face. Cat eyed her nervously, wondering what the hero was thinking. After a few moments, Kara asked softly, "You did this for me?"

Cat sat down opposite Kara at the table, and looked at her intently. "Yes, Kara," she answered quietly. "I did this for you, and for National City. I will always fight for you."

Tears started running down her cheeks. "Cat…." she said hesitantly. "I don't deserve this. The public just wants to forget I ever existed."

"Kara, first of all," Cat replied, "all I did was report the facts. People can draw their own conclusions." Cat reached out to squeeze Kara's hand, and continued, "But I think you'd be surprised by how supportive they are. I've been watching the online response this morning. #WeWantSupergirl, #NC4SG, and #TrashwellLord are trending on Twitter. Lord Industries' stock has also taken a nosedive this morning. People love you, Kara. They want you to come back."

Kara didn't know how to respond to all of this information. It was overwhelming, and she still didn't know how she felt about the situation. "I… I don't really…"

"Relax, Kara," Alex said. "Cat's not asking you to come back. She just wants you to know what people are saying."

Kara nodded, relieved not to have to respond.

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Kara stayed behind when Cat went to work. Lucy had arranged for her to meet that morning with Dr. Elizabeth Simmons, the most highly-regarded counselor on staff at the DEO. Alex had interacted with Dr. Simmons before, and agreed that she was a very down-to-earth, kind-hearted person. She was convinced that Kara would like her.

Lucy had intended for Kara to meet Dr. Simmons in her office, but the psychiatrist wanted no part of that. "Bringing a depressed patient into a dark, dreary government facility with no sunlight whatsoever makes absolutely no therapeutic sense. I'll come to visit her at Ms. Grant's apartment. If she has a balcony, we can talk there. Kara can use some sunlight, I'm sure."

When Dr. Simmons knocked on the door, Alex was waiting to greet her. The doctor smiled at Alex, and asked how the agent was dealing with her still-mending arm.

"It's much better now, thank you," answered Alex. "I really appreciate you coming here this morning."

Dr. Simmons waved that comment aside. "Alex, not only is it my job; it will be a pleasure getting to know your sister better. I admire her tremendously, and I hate knowing that she is struggling. Now, where is she?"

Kara nervously entered the room. "Hi," she murmured softly, not quite meeting the doctor's eyes.

Alex slung her arm around Kara's shoulder and said, "Kara, I'd like you to meet Dr. Simmons. She's going to talk with you for a little while, okay?" Kara nodded, having been briefed beforehand.

Dr. Simmons stepped forward and held her hand out. "Please, call me Lizzie," she insisted. "First of all, we're not in the office, and secondly, I hate being called doctor. It sets up an artificial barrier, and makes it much harder to get to know someone." She smiled warmly at Kara as the two shook hands. "I will admit to being a huge fan of Supergirl, so it's a pleasure to finally meet you. Now, do you mind if we talk on the balcony? I don't get nearly enough sunlight, working at the DEO."

Kara nodded uncertainly, and led the doctor out to the balcony.

Once the two women were seated, the counselor started by saying, "Kara, I realize this is awkward. No one likes talking with a stranger about intense feelings, and I know you didn't ask for this conversation. So I'm going to start by telling you what I know, and why I think I'm here, okay? You can feel free to correct me or chime in anytime."

Kara nodded, and Lizzie began to summarize the events of the last few days, beginning with the Red Kryptonite, and including the disappearance of Supergirl, the confrontation with Alex in Kara's apartment, Kara's conversation with Cat and Alex, and finally the woman's attempt to end her own life. Kara listened, occasionally answering questions or correcting details, as the doctor covered everything that she had been told.

When Lizzie had finished, she asked, "Can you think of anything I left out that you think is important?" Kara shook her head, not sure where she would even begin. Lizzie smiled as if she had expected that. "Okay, then, let's start at the end. Can you tell me what you were feeling when you tried to fly into space? What thoughts were going through your mind?"

Kara shook her head. "I thought that I would finally get out of everyone's way. I thought I could stop trying, and no one would care because I wasn't doing any good being here anymore. Lucy said I should be in a cage, but I thought this would be better for everyone."

The doctor winced inwardly at the thought that anyone could have said that about Kara. "Tell me more about Lucy's comments," the doctor said, wanting to expand upon that.

"She said that I was a monster, and should be locked up," Kara responded.

Lizzie sighed. "And do you agree with her?"

"Yeah, I do. What happens if I lose control again? I'm a danger to everyone. I am a monster."

Lizzie asked thoughtfully, "Kara, what does it mean to be a monster? What makes you a monster?"

"I'm powerful and threatening and out of control. I could hurt so many people. All it would take is a trigger, like the Red Kryptonite."

"Okay, Kara," Lizzie said, "I work for the government. I see all kinds of people who have guns and other powerful weapons. And given a bad enough trigger, a lot of them could snap, and hurt a lot of people. Are they all monsters?"

"Of course not," Kara said. "But they haven't done the things I did last week."

"What things are those? Throwing Ms. Grant off a balcony, and then catching her? Letting an alien go free? Ridiculing your sister? Breaking a shelf full of bottles at a bar? Which of those things makes you worse than any other person? Which one of those actions would have made you call someone else a monster?"

"I – just – I don't know, the combination of everything," Kara answered, slightly confused. "Or… just the ability I have to do so much harm so quickly. And attacking Alex, and exposing Hank, and stuff."

"So we should lock up anyone with the ability to do so much harm, unless they've always been perfect? You don't believe in second chances, or redemption?"

"You're twisting things around. That's not what I'm saying," Kara answered, frustrated.

Lizzie relented. "You're right, and that's not fair to you. I just hate seeing you hold yourself to a higher standard than you do everyone else."

"I don't hold… I don't do that."

Lizzie frowned. "I think maybe you do, Kara." She paused for a moment, and then said, "Tell me about your Aunt Astra." Alex had talked with her at length about Astra's death, and Kara's feelings about the woman.

Kara's eyes filled with sadness and loss. Lizzie felt bad asking something that brought so much pain, but she knew the question was important. "She was closer to me than anyone other than my parents – maybe even as close as my parents. She was always there for me on Krypton, no matter what. She was captured because I summoned her, and she came anyway because she loved me so much. I was so happy she was still alive, and I think… I really think she was starting to side with us. I think if I'd had a little more time…" Kara closed her eyes with the misery of those last moments.

Lizzie asked gently, "Kara, was she perfect?"

Kara shook her head. "Of course not. She killed people – because she wanted to save our planet, but she killed people. And she made some bad choices on this planet too. But she was a good person, and I think that would've come through in the end."

Lizzie paused, then said slowly, "So… she was powerful. She had the ability to do tons of damage, maybe even destroy the planet. And she had made some bad choices, for whatever reasons. Should she have been in a cage?"

Kara winced. "No. I mean, maybe if we thought she was going to do something bad, but no, not permanently."

Lizzie pushed her one step further. "What do you think Astra would've done under the influence of Red Kryptonite?"

Kara closed her eyes. "I don't know. That substance… it alters the brain. It warps the sense of right and wrong. It makes it seem like the only important things are power and desire. It's hard to imagine what she would have done."

"And yet," Lizzie said, "you wouldn't put her in a cage, just in case something like that could happen."

"No," Kara said. "She deserved another chance."

Lizzie just looked at Kara silently. She could see confusion and understanding in the young woman's eyes. "Kara, do you deserve another chance?" she asked softly.

"I – maybe," Kara acknowledged softly.

"Do you think that people stopped loving you because you made a mistake? One that wasn't even your fault, since you were poisoned?"

"I don't know. I thought they would hate me. Maybe they don't. I just feel like they should hate me. They should be afraid of me."

"I know you think that, Kara," Lizzie acknowledged. "But maybe it's time to see how they actually feel about you. Maybe it's time to start listening to your friends, who are telling you they still love you." She glanced at Kara for a moment. "When people are depressed, they react emotionally to things. It is nearly impossible for them to see themselves objectively, because that part of their brain is being drowned out by emotional side. That's when it becomes so important to rely upon friends and family to help you through it, to tell you what's really happening, rather than what you're seeing through those jaded eyes. You need to trust the people who are closest to you, and let them help you."

Kara nodded slowly. She could see what Lizzie was saying. It was just hard to step out of her own brain for long enough to process it. It was a lot to take in right now.

"Tell you what, Kara," Lizzie said, smiling affectionately at the young woman. "I've given you a lot to think about, and I know it's hard to process all at once. How about we talk again tomorrow morning? We need to keep working through what's going on in your head, a little bit at a time. You have a lot of feelings stored up in there."

"Okay."

"Here's the deal, though," Lizzie said. "I don't invest my energy in people unless they're invested too. I need you to promise me that you're going to be okay until tomorrow, and that you'll let me or someone else know if you're feeling like you want to hurt yourself. I need you to stay with me." The doctor fervently hoped that would be enough to keep the superhero going.

"I will," Kara said softly. She could handle that level of commitment.


	8. Chapter 8

Coming to CatCo in the late morning was strange. Cat had encouraged her to take time off if she needed it, but Kara wanted to work. She was already feeling useless, and staying home would have made her feel even worse. She got dropped off at Noonan's, and picked up Cat's latte before taking the elevator to the thirty-eighth floor. Cat was in her office.

When she arrived, she stood at her desk with the latte, unsure whether she should interrupt her boss. A sharp "Kiera!" got her moving again, and she brought the latte in. Cat looked at her searchingly, and inquired softly about how the meeting had gone. She seemed relieved when Kara said it was okay, and that they were meeting again tomorrow. Other than that, Ms. Grant treated her just like any other day, with sharp commands and quick dismissals, but Kara noticed that the cutting remarks had disappeared. Instead, she heard the occasional 'please' and 'thank you'. She tried not to seem too shocked by those additions.

All day, Cat kept a close eye on her assistant. Although Kara seemed to be handing her emotions, she couldn't take any chances with the young woman. The thought that something could happen to Kara was simply unacceptable. If she spotted anything amiss, she was prepared to step in and do whatever it took to ensure the hero's safety. She had promised Alex and Lucy that she would watch out for Kara, and she intended to keep her word.

Just after lunchtime, a gunman was spotted in National City. He robbed several convenience stores, but had so far eluded the police. Cat watched Kara sit at her desk, thoroughly miserable, as reports of his escapes continued to mount. Finally, she couldn't take it anymore. "Kiera!"

Kara came to her doorway, trying to hide her sadness with a weak smile. "I need to see you on the balcony," Cat said. Once Kara had obeyed those instructions, Cat turned to her. "Kara, I know you don't want to be Supergirl. But can't you see how badly these police need your help right now? Supergirl could save a lot of lives here."

Kara's face was anguished. "Ms. Grant, please don't ask me to do this. I can't right now."

Cat immediately regretted her words, realizing that she was making the situation worse. She tried another tactic. "Okay, no Supergirl. But what if the police got an anonymous tip? What if they found out where the robber was hiding, and could capture him without any help from superheroes?"

Kara didn't say anything for a minute. Cat glanced at Kara, and felt guilty at the pain and indecision that she saw on the young woman's face. She was about to apologize and retract her suggestion when Kara quietly said, "Okay."

Cat watched as Kara took off her glasses. The hero scanned the city, and Cat watched in awe as Kara's eyes seemed to take in everything at once. After a few moments of careful scanning, Kara said softly, "Tell the police to go to 127 West Arlington Street. He's in an apartment on the eighth floor, number 814. He's alone, but armed."

Cat grabbed her phone, and called an officer she knew. "Dylan, it's Cat. I just received an anonymous tip that is extremely credible." She relayed the gunman's location, and then reiterated, "Move quickly. I have complete faith in this source."

Kara was staring out at the city, arms pressed to the railing, with a tortured look on her face. Cat was torn between relief that Kara was able to help and guilt for pressing the hero into action. Cat heard sirens in the distance, and she saw Kara staring in that direction as the police entered the apartment building. Kara tensed a moment later, and then relaxed visibly. "They got him," she said quietly. She put her glasses on and turned around to go inside.

Cat caught the woman's arm. Words would be inadequate to express her gratitude, her guilt, and her worry for the young superhero. So she just looked at Kara, searching her eyes for a clue that the hero could handle the situation. Eventually, Kara said, "Thank you. It made me feel better to help."

Cat nodded. "Back to work, then." She added belatedly, "If you're feeling up to it."

Kara nodded. "Back to work."

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That evening, Kara returned to Cat's apartment. They hadn't really discussed the arrangement, other than Cat's casual instructions, "We'll be leaving at 6:30. Be ready." With so many things seeming overwhelming right now, she couldn't help feeling a bit relieved that Cat was taking charge of this part of her life.

They arrived at Cat's apartment and were met by Carter, who was bursting with excitement at the science fair project he would be working on. When Kara told him that Alex was a scientist and would be happy to offer him advice, Carter insisted on texting Alex from Kara's phone, asking a few questions. Almost immediately, Alex called back, and Carter spent the next forty minutes peppering her with questions while Cat and Kara prepared dinner.

"It's really sweet of Alex to spend so much time with him," Cat commented.

Kara responded, "Are you kidding? Alex is thrilled to be able to talk science with someone. She's always trying to get me to listen to her."

Cat smiled. "Well, I'm glad to see Carter connect with her. He's normally pretty shy."

"Could've fooled me," Kara responded, smiling as she thought of his exuberance when they came home.

"Well, he likes you, Kara. It must be a Danvers family trait." Cat smiled.

Carter came back into the kitchen, and handed Kara her phone back. "Don't worry," he said. "Alex gave me her number, so I can call her directly from now on."

"Carter, I want you to know something," Kara said. "Alex doesn't give ANYONE her number. She guards that number with her life. She must really, really like you."

Cat remembered her impromptu meeting with Alex, when the agent had acknowledged that Kara was Supergirl, and then given Cat her phone number. She realized now that the agent had placed a lot of trust in her. Alex had obviously decided that her sister was worth it. That realization made Cat even more determined to take care of Kara.

The three sat down to a dinner of stir fry and rice. Cat had tripled her usual recipe, and was not surprised that Kara ate half of it by herself. Carter, who had a healthy appetite himself, was seriously impressed, though Kara blushed when he commented that she ate more than he did. "Carter, don't be rude!" Cat implored, but Kara smiled and said it was fine. She just had a fast metabolism.

As they were cleaning up from dinner, the doorbell rang. Cat frowned. She was not expecting anyone, although she supposed that Alex or Lucy might have stopped by to check on Kara. She was about to head for the door when she saw Kara freeze. The look on Kara's face – fear, anger, and despair – made her head toward the young woman instead. "Kara, who is it?" she asked quietly, so that Carter wouldn't hear.

"It's Max Lord," Kara said, her voice trembling.

"That bastard," Cat seethed. "How dare he come to my home." She headed for the door, and yanked it open. "What do you want?" she demanded.

Max took in the furious woman in front of him, as well as the angry, fearful eyes of Kara Danvers. "Well! had no idea the two of you were so… close," Max said pleasantly. "Having dinner with your assistant, Cat? How sweet."

"Why are you here?" Cat demanded, ignoring his less-than-subtle insinuation.

"Well, Cat, I just wanted to express my frustration at your biased coverage of the Supergirl incident. I graciously answered all of your questions, but instead of reporting the facts, you turned it into an article ripping my company and my ethics. I'm disappointed that you would stoop so low. I wanted to caution you that there could be repercussions for such irresponsible journalism."

Cat walked slowly toward him. "You don't get to come to my home and threaten me, Max," she hissed. "You don't get to disturb my personal life. You want to express your opinions? Make an appointment with my assistant. I'm sure she'd tell you I'm booked for months." Cat grabbed the door handle. "Now get out. And don't you dare come back here. Ever."

"My, my. I did strike a nerve," Max said smoothly. "Ms. Danvers, good to see you, as always." He stepped out the door. "Have a good night."

Cat slammed the door shut behind him, then rested her head against the door for a moment to calm herself down. Once she had composed herself, she turned around and looked at Kara. The hero hadn't moved. She was standing there, staring at the door with a stricken look on her face.

Cat moved toward her, but Kara stepped backward. "Ms. – Cat, I'm so sorry," she said sadly. "This is all my fault."

Cat sighed. Of course Kara would take responsibility for Max Lord's behavior. "Kara, you can't possibly think that Max's actions are somehow your fault."

"Cat, if I hadn't been so upset, you wouldn't have written that article. And if you hadn't written that article, he wouldn't have come here. I just keep making everyone's life harder."

"Please, Kara. I would have written that article no matter what. Max deserved for everyone to know what he'd done. You know I couldn't let a scoop like that go unpublished. I just changed my mind about the timeline when I saw how upset you were yesterday."

Kara looked at her, eyes searching. "You were really going to write that article anyway?"

Cat nodded. "I'm your biggest champion, Supergirl. And after what I said about you on TV, I owed it to you to tell everyone the truth. And National City deserved to know what really happened."

Kara stepped forward, and wrapped her arms around Cat. "Thank you," she murmured. "For believing in me." She held Cat close, trying to convey her gratitude. After a moment, she stepped back, embarrassed.

Cat caught her hand. "I will always believe in you," she said sincerely.

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The next day was Saturday. Kara didn't really know whether Cat would want her to stay for the weekend, or whether she would be expected to go home. Cat was probably getting sick of entertaining a guest, she thought grimly, particularly one as difficult to deal with as Kara had been.

Kara reluctantly admitted to herself that she didn't want to go home. She was enjoying getting to know Cat outside of work, and seeing more of that softer side. She also adored spending time with Carter, who was a lovably geeky and insightful teenager. And of course, there was the little matter of being in love with her boss. As hard as Kara was trying to deny her feelings, it was becoming impossible, and the more time she spent with the woman, the stronger her feelings became.

Kara spent much of Saturday morning talking with Lizzie. As strange as it felt to talk with a counselor, she found that she liked the perceptive, caring woman. And it was nice to be able to share her secrets with someone outside of her small group of friends. She talked at length with the doctor about Alex – about her guilt over the sacrifices Alex had made, the awful things she had said to Alex under the influence of Red Kryptonite, and her own conflicted feelings about Astra's death. Lizzie mostly just listened, reacted, and peppered her with questions. Kara found herself questioning some of her assumptions, thanks to Lizzie's insights. The counselor pointed out that Alex had chosen to work at the DEO long before Kara became Supergirl, following in her parents' footsteps, and that perhaps her knowledge of Kara had helped in her career path. She asked Kara about times that she had been there for Alex, reminding the superhero that the relationship was far from one-sided. She gave Kara a lot of things to think about, once again, before smiling and telling Kara that she'd be back on Monday morning, and making Kara promise to take care of herself until then.

On her way out, Lizzie was stopped by Cat, who offered the woman a cup of coffee or a drink. Lizzie smiled and accepted the offer of coffee, knowing there was far more to Cat's offer than politeness. As she settled into a seat in the kitchen, she thanked Cat for taking Kara in. "Ms. Grant, I know how much your support means to her right now. Thank you for being there for her."

Cat shook her head. "First of all, it's Cat."

The doctor nodded. "Lizzie."

Cat continued, "Lizzie, I would do anything for her. It kills me to know that she thinks so little of herself, and I'm terrified of losing her. To be honest, I like having her here – it means that I know she'll be safe, and that I can spend time with her, and get to know her better."

The doctor smiled. "I understand completely. It really is impossible not to love Kara. She has such a good heart. She keeps everything bottled up very tightly, though, and it makes her life so much more difficult. Maybe you can reach out to her, as a friend, and help her to open up a little bit."

Cat shook her head nervously. "Oh, I don't know about that. I don't think she really considers me a friend. I've been awful to her in the past, and I'm just trying to convince her I don't hate her. I'm just waiting for her to tell me she's sick of staying here and wants to go home."

Lizzie laughed. "Cat, she's not going to do that – actually, I would bet that she is waiting for you to kick her out. She probably thinks she's imposing. I think one of the best things you can do for her right now is to show her that she belongs here, and make her part of your household, at least for a while. Make it clear to her that there will always be a place for her here. It would mean a lot to her, probably more than you know."

Cat looked at the doctor for a moment. "Are you even allowed to be telling me these things? Aren't Kara's feelings all confidential?"

"Oh, trust me, we haven't talked about you at all," Lizzie said, smiling. "But you know Kara. She's an open book."

Cat smiled. "Thanks for the advice."

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Cat brought Kara's lunch out to the woman on the balcony. Kara was sitting there by herself, unwinding after her long conversation with Lizzie, and Cat's heart nearly stopped when she saw the hero staring into the distance, lost in thought. Kara was so incredibly beautiful.

Cat snapped herself out of whatever trance she'd fallen into, and said briskly, "Kara, I brought you some ham and cheese sandwiches."

Kara turned around and smiled, and Cat couldn't stop her heart from fluttering again. She smiled back at the young woman, and said, "I was hoping we could talk for a few minutes."

Kara nodded nervously. This was it, then. Cat was going to ask how long she was planning on staying here. Kara had worn out her welcome.

Cat began, "Kara, I just want you to know how much I've enjoyed having you here. I like knowing that you're safe, but it's also just been nice getting to know you better, outside of the office. And Carter adores you."

Kara tensed. Here comes the 'but', she thought grimly.

God, this is hard, Cat thought. She hated feeling vulnerable. She would do it, though. She would always do it, for Kara. "I guess I'm just trying to tell you that I would hate to see you leave. I don't know how long you're willing to stay here, but Carter and I are thrilled to have you here for as long as you want. I'm hoping you'll at least stay for the short term, maybe a few weeks at least. We don't want to lose you."

Kara's mouth fell open in surprise. "You… want me to stay?" She laughed nervously. "I thought you were going to tell me to leave."

Cat smiled at Kara's insecurity. "We're not letting you go that easily," she said gently. "You can bring some more things here, whatever you need. Hopefully your room here is big enough, but if it's not, we'll make more space. Kara, I'd like you to let us help take care of you for a while. I think it would be good for you, and we both love you."

Kara leapt out of her chair, and pulled Cat into a hug. This time, she held on tightly. She enveloped the older woman in a soothing embrace that had two hearts beating very rapidly. Neither one wanted to end the hug, so they stood there for a long time, reveling in the feel of each other's arms. Finally, Cat pulled away slightly and kissed Kara's cheek. "Make sure you eat your lunch. I know what your appetite is like." She smiled and left the hero on the balcony.

Kara fell into a chair, not sure if her unsteady knees would support her any longer. Cat Grant had kissed her. Yes, it was a kiss on the cheek, and of course she hadn't meant it romantically, but still. She was never washing her face again. Cat wanted her to stay. Cat liked having her here. Kara tried desperately to keep from wondering whether there was more to that kiss than just friendship. She needed to control herself. This was Cat Grant, CEO of CatCo, and Kara would never have a chance. Still, Cat had kissed her cheek. Kara closed her eyes, smiling happily.


	9. Chapter 9

Monday morning began with another session between Kara and Lizzie. Cat decided to spend a couple of hours working from her home office, waiting until Kara was done before she headed to CatCo. The doctor smiled at Cat's devotion to the younger woman, but said nothing.

Kara began their conversation by chatting excitedly about Cat's offer on Saturday, as well the time they had spent together over the weekend, going to the science museum and watching movies with Carter. Lizzie was delighted that Cat had talked with Kara about staying, but she was even happier to see that Kara was beginning to initiate conversations with her, rather than simply responding to her questions. She talked with the young woman about Cat, and was thoroughly unsurprised when the hero gushed about how much she admired the older woman. She suspected that Kara's feelings ran just about as deeply as Cat's did, and she was happy to see the two of them starting to develop a relationship.

As they were wrapping up their conversation, Lizzie took a moment to survey Kara carefully. "Kara, you seem like you're doing a little bit better than you were a few days ago. Do you think so?"

Kara nodded. "It's helped me a lot to talk about things. You've made a big difference."

Lizzie shook her head. "No, Kara, you're the one doing all the work. I'm just glad it's helping. You deserve to be happy."

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When Cat's driver dropped Kara off at Noonan's later that morning, she found Alex waiting for her in front of the counter, almost as if she had coordinated the timing with Cat. Kara's eyes narrowed in suspicion. Alex smiled and handed Kara a sticky bun, explaining, "I just wanted to check on my baby sister." Kara softened at the gesture, and the two sisters sat down at a table to eat.

Although Kara had eaten a large breakfast of eggs and waffles, she attacked the sticky bun with gusto. She felt a little bit lighter today, less weighed down by her own sadness, after her relaxing weekend and conversations with Lizzie.

Alex asked, "You were the source of the anonymous tip, weren't you?" Kara thought back to Friday's events, and nodded in embarrassment. Alex smiled, and said, "I figured Cat would talk you into something like that. It was a good idea." She looked earnestly at her sister. "You need to help people, Kara. I'm glad you found a way to do it."

Kara sighed. "Alex, I wish I could go back to the way it was before. I just… can't."

Alex nodded. She wasn't going to push Kara. Her sister would come around eventually, she hoped. "I support you no matter what. You know that, right?"

Kara nodded gratefully. "I love you, Alex. I know I've been a nightmare lately, but I really do love you."

"I love you too, Kara," Alex said, grasping a very sticky hand and smiling.

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When Kara reached the thirty-eighth floor, she was surprised to see that Cat's office was empty. Where had the woman gone? She lowered her glasses and searched the building, but didn't see her boss anywhere. She scanned the parking garage, and saw that Cat's car was not there. She picked up her phone, and called Alex.

"Kara, hungry again already?" Alex said in a teasing voice.

"Alex, Cat's not here. Her car never arrived."

"That's strange. Did she have an errand to run or something?"

"No," Kara said worriedly. "She was coming straight here. Alex… Max Lord came to visit on Friday night. He was really angry about the article. Do you think there's a connection?"

"Yeah, I do," Alex said grimly. "I'll be right there."

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When Alex arrived at Kara's desk, she kept walking, through Cat's office, and onto the balcony. Kara cringed at the invasion of privacy, but followed her sister. "Tell me what you know," Alex instructed.

Kara quickly recapped the conversation with Max Lord, and explained that her boss was not in the building. "Alex, I've been looking. I can't find her anywhere. Do you think Max took her to his lab?" She couldn't see inside the vast complex, due to the lead lining Max had installed when he learned that a Kryptonian gaze could not penetrate it.

Alex nodded. "I think that's exactly where she is. Max didn't like the response he got from Cat, and he's determined to teach her a lesson. I can send some agents over to investigate."

"Alex… I can't trust this to anyone else. Nothing against your agents, but I need to go. I need to be there."

"I figured you would say that. I brought you something." She opened up her bag, and pulled out the supersuit. Kara eyed it for a moment, and then nodded. "But Kara? I'm coming with you. For all we know, Max fixed his Kryptonite recipe. You need backup."

"Okay." With a twirl, Kara donned the suit. "Let's go."

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Cat was scared, but she wasn't about to let this psychopath see her fear. "Max, what is the point of this charade?" she asked, adopting a bored tone.

"Oh, it's not a charade, Cat. You're going to die today, just like your driver did." Max smiled. "It's just a question of when." He walked toward the woman, watching her tug frantically at the handcuffs chaining her to a pole. "Supergirl has been missing in action since last week, and I need to know if that's a permanent change, or just a temporary one. The two of you are obviously close, so if she's ever planning on saving anyone again, she'll come for you."

"Either way, I win," Max continued. "If she doesn't come, I'll just kill you. But if she arrives to rescue you, I get to test out my new Kryptonite gun. I've been working on it all weekend, and I think I've got it perfected." He held up a weapon. "Zap! No more Supergirl." He leaned forward to caress Cat's face. "But don't worry, Cat. I'll still kill you too."

Cat tried to bite his hand, and Max laughed. "Feisty today, aren't we? Don't worry; I like that in a woman." He settled down to wait.

Kara and Alex flew into the compound, and Kara began searching frantically for Cat. She eventually spotted the woman chained to a pole in what appeared to be an abandoned section of a warehouse. She quickly flew toward her boss. Alex reminded her, "Kara, put me down somewhere just out of sight. I'll try to get a clean shot, or attack him from behind. And please, be careful. We have to assume he can hurt you."

Kara nodded. Setting Alex down, she flew around the corner, toward the prisoner. Cat immediately shouted a warning, looking at her in panic. "He has a gun! Kryptonite!" She saw Max Lord, crouched safely behind a Kryptonite-laced barricade, raise his weapon. She easily danced out of the way as she saw a blast of green surge in her direction. She tried sending a return blast of heat vision, but Max easily ducked behind the barricade.

Fortunately, Max's aim was no match for Kara's super reflexes. However, with each blast, she could feel the toxic fumes slowing her down. After the fourth blast, she searched for her sister, and found Alex creeping around to attack Max from behind. Just a little bit longer. She could do this. She moved again, just barely dodging the next blast. Alex was getting closer. She waited as Max prepared to send yet another stream of Kryptonite. As it shot toward her, she sprang away, but it caught the side of her leg. Screaming in agony, she sank to the ground.

Kara knew she wouldn't be able to avoid the next shot. Her reserves were exhausted, and her leg was throbbing. She stood, glaring defiantly at Max Lord. She felt comforted in the knowledge that even if she didn't make it, Alex would be close enough to take down Max.

As Max prepared to fire again, she turned to Cat. She had only seconds to live. With that knowledge came a degree of clarity that she hadn't expected. She wanted Cat to know that she made this choice with no regrets. More importantly, she wanted to let Cat know how she really felt. Perhaps it was selfish of her, but she couldn't bear to die without expressing the feelings that were suddenly so clear to her. She met Cat's eyes, gazing at the older woman tenderly. "I love you," she said softly, and smiled, before collapsing as the stream of Kryptonite made contact with her body.

Alex dove the last few feet and took down Max from behind, slamming into him and knocking him out cold. She quickly secured him in restraints, and then ran over to Kara. "No," she whispered, and checked for a pulse. "Come on, Kara, stay with me," she begged, and grabbed her radio. "Supergirl needs help. Lord Industries. Hurry. I'm not sure she's going to make it." She sank to the floor next to her sister, begging and pleading for Kara to fight. After a few moments, she remembered Cat. She looked over at the woman, white as a sheet and staring in terror, and ran over to unlock the handcuffs. They both raced to Kara's side, holding her hands and begging her to stay alive.

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"We're really lucky he hadn't perfected it yet," Alex said grimly. "This version of Kryptonite was fairly weak. She has a good chance." Cat remained silent, grasping Kara's hand tightly, as if determined to keep her tethered to this world. Alex was trying to hold herself together, reminding herself that Kara was a fighter, and attempting to convince them both that the superhero would survive. Cat, on the other hand, was making no effort to deny her fear at possibly losing the young woman.

She said she loved me, Cat thought desperately. After everything I've done to her, she loves me. She pictured it vividly, the hero clearly resigned to dying, and choosing to spend her last moments sharing her feelings with Cat. She saw the look in Kara's eyes, so full of warmth and tenderness that it was impossible to forget. She remembered that smile, just before Kara had collapsed, and wished so badly that it could be the beginning, rather than the end.

Kara was her employee, but she was so much more than that. She was Cat's hero, and her inspiration. If Kara made it through this, Cat knew that she could not continue to deny her feelings. They would have to figure it out together. Kara had broken through every wall around her heart. Please, she needs to come back to me, Cat begged silently.

Two hours later, there had been no change. Alex assured Cat that it was a good thing, explaining that these first few hours were vital. She could crash at any moment, and the fact that she hadn't meant her body was fighting to survive. Cat just gripped Kara's hand tighter.

An hour after that, Kara stirred. The two woman looked at her hopefully, and watched as she attempted to open her eyes. "Shh," Alex murmured. "Sleep, Kara. You're okay now. We've got you."

Kara whimpered, "Hurts."

"I know, Kara. Sleep. You'll be better soon." Alex stood up and added more pain medication to Kara's IV, hoping that the large dosage would be enough for the Kryptonian. She placed her hand on Cat's shoulder. "She's coming back. She's going to make it."

Cat let out a large breath and rested her head on Kara's lap. "She'd better," she said, with more bravado than she felt.


	10. Chapter 10

A few hours later, Cat had still refused to leave Kara's side. Alex traveled back and forth between her lab and Kara's bedside, analyzing the effects of Max's Kryptonite on Kara's body. Lucy also stopped in periodically to check on the women. On one of those trips, she stopped to hand Cat a coffee, smiling apologetically. "It's disgusting, but it's all I can offer you." Cat accepted the cup gratefully, and tried not to wince as she sipped at what was, indeed, terrible coffee. Alex and Lucy both grinned.

Lucy looked at Cat intently. "Don't you need to check in with CatCo?" At that comment, Alex looked up in alarm, realizing that she hadn't even thought about it.

Cat sighed. "Probably. I don't have my phone with me, and I just didn't care enough to worry about it."

Alex could have kicked herself for being so thoughtless. "Cat, I'm sorry. You can use my phone, or actually, maybe Kara's would be better. We can bring you a computer, if you need to send some emails or whatever. Despite our awful décor, we have some pretty good technology here."

Cat shrugged. "I suppose I should. It's just hard to care too much about any of that right now."

"You know Kara would be furious if you fell behind, though." Lucy smiled, and went to grab Kara's phone and a laptop. Pulling a rolling table over from the wall, she set the laptop on it. Cat nodded gratefully and went to work.

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As the clock approached 8 p.m., Kara was still sleeping peacefully, and Cat still hadn't moved. When Alex and Lucy stopped in to check on Kara's progress, Alex decided it was time to intervene. "Cat, you need to eat something. And where is Carter?"

"Carter is with his nanny for the night. He knows that Kara was hurt in an accident, and I'm staying with her while she recovers. And I'm not particularly hungry." Even as she said that, Cat's stomach growled angrily.

Alex smirked. "Very convincing. Come on, let's get some take-out. We can be back here in half an hour if I speed." She held up her phone. "I'll monitor her while we're gone, and let you know if anything changes. I'll even buy you a latte." Cat sighed and nodded, smiling weakly at the latte reference.

While the three drove toward a sub shop, Lucy and Alex took the opportunity to find out from Cat how Kara's therapy had been going. "She really likes Lizzie," Cat commented. "They've talked three times now, and you can just tell it's lifting a weight off of her shoulders. She seems better. The sadness is still there, but it's not as pronounced. And she's agreed to stay with me for a few weeks, at least, so she won't have to be alone."

"A few weeks?" Lucy said in surprise. "Cat, are you sure you're okay with that?"

Cat smiled. "I'm thrilled about it. I really like having her there, and so does Carter. I hope she never leaves." Alex lifted her eyebrow at Lucy. "I saw that," Cat scolded. "And we are not talking about my feelings. Don't even try."

Cat changed the subject quickly, updating the two women on the latest Supergirl news. "There's an online petition, asking Supergirl to come back to National City. It's already been signed by over a million people. There are also unconfirmed reports that Supergirl was spotted somewhere near Lord Industries, carrying someone in her arms. I don't suppose you know anything about that?" She smiled at Alex. "It has people very excited at the thought that she might be back."

"Well, she's going to be out of action for a little while, at least," Alex answered. "But maybe it'll give us a chance to show her how much the city loves her. Maybe she'll start to realize how important she is."

"I hope so, Alex. Kara needs Supergirl. I'd be more than happy to write an article on how Supergirl is back in action, but was injured saving the life of a certain media member. But I can't do that unless she really wants to come back."

Alex nodded. "Let's put that idea on hold for now, until we see how she feels."

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It was nearly 10 p.m. before Kara woke up. When the hero stirred and opened her eyes, Cat was instantly on her feet, standing next to Kara. "Cat?" Kara said weakly.

"I'm right here, Kara," Cat responded, grasping the young woman's hand.

"I… Are you okay?" Kara asked, concern evident in her eyes. "Is Alex okay?"

Cat nodded, barely holding back tears. "Kara, we're fine. I'm so glad you're here. I thought we had lost you."

Kara closed her eyes in embarrassment, remembering what she had said to Cat right before the blast hit. 'I love you.' Now Cat knew exactly how she felt. She wondered why the older woman was even here right now. She didn't need to deal with Kara's emotions. Maybe she felt guilty at abandoning her employee, especially knowing how strong Kara's feelings were.

Kara was saved from further reflection by a pair of soft lips touching her own. "I mean it, Kara," Cat murmured softly. "I'm so glad you're here. I couldn't stand to lose you."

Kara opened her eyes in surprise, and saw the tender look on Cat's face. She squeezed Kara's hand, and sat back down by her side. She kissed me, Kara thought dreamily. She kissed me? Did that really happen?

Alex came rushing in. "Kara, thank God you're awake. I was beginning to think Cat would have to move in." At Kara's questioning look, she explained, "She hasn't left your side all day." Kara glanced at Cat, who nodded and smiled.

Kara looked at her, worried. "Don't you need to be running a company right now?"

Cat shook her head. "Alex set me up here with a computer. I've been Skyping and emailing. Oh, and I borrowed your phone. I hope that's okay." She smiled.

Touched, Kara squeezed her hand, and smiled back. "Of course it's okay. Cat… I'm glad you're here."

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By the next morning, Kara insisted on leaving the DEO. "That sun bed is so awful. How would you feel if I made you lie on a table for 24 hours? I need a real bed, with pillows and blankets and stuffed animals." Alex smiled, and went to wake up Cat. She had finally managed to convince the woman to get a couple of hours of sleep in the barracks, by dragging her chair away from the table after Cat had fallen asleep on top of the computer. She was sure Cat would be relieved to hear that Kara was ready to leave. The barracks were not particularly accommodating.

When Kara rose unsteadily to her feet, Cat and Alex were there to catch her, and they helped the struggling superhero to make her way toward the entrance. They loaded her into the back of an SUV, and arranged her with pillows so that she could sleep on the way back to Cat's house. They needn't have bothered, however; she was out as soon as the vehicle started moving.

Upon arriving at Cat's apartment, she brought the still-sleepy hero inside and guided her toward the guest room. Alex quickly changed Kara into pajamas and tucked her into the bed. She suspected that the hero would not stir for hours.

Before leaving, Alex reminded Cat, "Make sure she eats a lot. And she needs to get some sun today. The sun lamps are good, but nothing compares with real sunlight. She needs as much as possible."

Cat nodded, and opened all of the shades in the guest room, letting in quite a bit of light. "That'll have to do for now," she responded. "I'll get her up later."

Alex turned to leave. "Is it okay if I come back tonight?" she asked hesitantly, somewhat embarrassed. "I hate leaving her like this."

Cat smiled warmly at Alex. "You're welcome anytime, Alex. Carter and I both like having you here."

"Thanks, Cat," Alex said gratefully. "I'll be back later."

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By early afternoon, the hero still hadn't stirred, and Cat decided that she needed to take action. Kara hadn't eaten anything in over a day, and she needed to get a few hours of sunlight before the evening came. She walked into the guest room, and tried not to stare at the gorgeous woman who lay asleep in front of her.

She sat down on the side of the bed, and began to rub Kara's shoulder and speak to her softly. "Kara, wake up. I'm sorry to wake you, but you need to eat, and we need to get you some sunlight." The young woman stirred, and mumbled something incoherent. "Kara, wake up," she insisted, and got a more convincing response. A moment later, Kara opened her eyes. Cat's eyes softened at the exhaustion in Kara's eyes, and she ran her hand lightly through Kara's hair.

Kara smiled. "Hey," she said softly, happy to see Cat sitting there next to her. Cat. Who had kissed her. Hadn't she? Or was that just a beautiful dream?

Cat asked, "How are you feeling?" She couldn't seem to stop herself from staring at Kara.

Instead of answering, Kara slowly reached her arms out toward Cat. She slipped them behind Cat's neck, and pulled the older woman's head down, meeting Cat's lips with her own. She kissed Cat gently, wrapping one arm around the woman's shoulders and pulling her even closer.

After a moment, Kara panicked, sure she had made a mistake. She slowly pulled away and released Cat from her arms. With a terrified look on her face, Kara began to apologize. "Cat, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean–"

Cat surged forward and cut off Kara's words with her lips. She pulled herself toward the superhero, wrapping her arms around Kara's back. Two pairs of lips were fused together as Cat fell onto the bed and tumbled on top of Kara. The two rolled over until both women were lying on their sides, never breaking the kiss. They pulled each other closer, and Cat opened her mouth slightly in invitation. Kara's mouth eagerly matched her own, and Cat ran her tongue lightly into Kara's waiting mouth. Tongues pressed against each other lightly, but their motions quickly became more deliberate. Kara wrapped an arm around the back of Cat's neck and yanked her forward as her tongue invaded Cat's space. Cat moaned, feverish with desire, as Kara's tongue began a motion that Cat desperately hoped would be repeated on other parts of her body.

Lost in her haze of desire, Cat almost forgot that anything existed outside of the feel of Kara's lips and hands. But she vaguely recalled coming in here for a reason that didn't involve sex, and forced herself to pull away. Kara looked at her, and Cat felt a flash of need at the raw desire in her eyes. She quickly sat up. "Kara, as much as I want to continue what we just started, now is really not the time. You need to eat and get some rest." She smiled. "Once you're feeling better, we can revisit this conversation."

Kara smiled weakly. "I'd like that," she said softly.

"Well, let's get you some food. Then maybe you can sleep in the sun for a couple of hours." Cat tried, in vain, to slow her speeding heart. If only her brain would start working again. "Come on," she said, extending her hand toward the younger woman. "I made you lunch. You can eat on the balcony." Kara grasped her hand, and followed her unsteadily.

Once on the balcony, Kara ate five grilled cheese sandwiches and three bowls of soup, and then settled into a recliner and instantly fell asleep. Cat smiled, kissed the woman's forehead, and left her there to rest.

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At dinnertime, Alex came out to wake up a sleeping Kara. "Hey, sleepyhead. How are you feeling?"

"Mmmnf," Kara responded, without opening her eyes. "So tired."

"I know, Kara. But Cat says dinner's ready, and we want you to eat again before we put you to bed."

"Okay," Kara said, opening her eyes slowly. Alex held out her hand and pulled Kara out of the recliner. She led the hero inside.

When they reached the dining room, Kara's eyes opened wide. Did she smell… pizza?

Alex laughed at Kara's excitement. "Yes, Kara, it's homemade pizza. Even better than takeout. Cat is way too good to you."

Alex and Carter laughed as Cat brought out one pizza after another. There were five in all. Kara opened her eyes wide. "Cat, I'm not sure even I can eat this much."

Cat smiled and said, "Well, leftover pizza is a good snack."

Kara had silently scoffed at the notion that anything could be better than takeout pizza. But once she tasted this pizza, she had to agree with Alex. It was the best pizza she'd ever had in her entire life, maybe the best ANYTHING she'd ever had. She helped herself to one piece after another, quickly finishing one pie, and then a second. She finally slowed to a halt halfway through her third pizza, and then looked around in embarrassment at the three people staring at her. "What? I was hungry. And it was really good."

"Apparently," Carter said drily, sounding so much like Cat that Kara had to smile.

After they (well, mostly Kara) had finished eating, Alex led her to the bedroom to get her ready for bed. Alex helped Kara to get washed and changed, and then brought in a stuffed bear as Kara was climbing into bed. "You mentioned stuffed animals, so I thought I'd bring you one. This is Lucky."

Kara hugged the bear tightly, and then hugged Alex just as tightly. "Alex, I love you so much."

"I love you too, Kara. Sleep well." Alex kissed Kara's forehead, and then tucked her in and left the room.

Cat came in next. "Kara, I wanted to… is that a stuffed animal?" She meant for her question to sound disdainful, but the softness in her voice gave her away. She relented. "It's adorable."

Kara smiled sleepily. "This is Lucky. Alex brought him here for me."

Cat smiled. "Well, I'm glad you have company, but I was hoping maybe I could stay here with you for a little while. Is it okay if I take his spot for now?"

Kara nodded happily. Cat lay down next to her on the bed, and put her arms around the superhero. She kissed Kara's cheek, and held her tightly. She lay there long after Kara had fallen asleep, smiling and holding the hero close. She never planned on letting Kara go.


	11. Chapter 11

The next morning, Cat insisted on working from home. She was not leaving Kara's side right now. Nearly losing the hero had terrified her, and she couldn't bring herself to leave the house while Kara was recovering. She brought Kara breakfast in bed, and then led her out onto the balcony to sit on a recliner. Alex sat with her for a while, until Kara fell asleep in the sun, and then went to work.

Alex arranged for Lizzie to stop by in the afternoon to check in with Kara. They weren't sure if Kara would be alert enough for a conversation, but they wanted to make sure that she had support if she needed it. Lizzie also insisted that she wanted to check on Kara for herself. She had grown surprisingly attached to the kind and generous superhero, and wanted to see that Kara was okay.

Kara spent the day resting on the balcony, while Cat checked on her periodically, perhaps more than was strictly necessary. She brought Kara a large lunch of bread and pasta, knowing that the carbohydrates would help the young woman to regain some energy, and then left her to sleep some more.

When Lizzie arrived in the early afternoon, Kara spent a few minutes talking with her about what had happened. Seeing the exhaustion in her eyes, Lizzie kept the conversation brief. She would talk in detail with Kara once the hero was feeling better, but she felt it was important to check in with her today, and let her know that she was always here to listen. She noted that despite the trauma Kara had undergone, the young woman seemed somehow… less alone. She asked the hero about her mood, and Kara smiled softly. "For the first time in a while, I feel hopeful."

Lizzie smiled. She suspected that Cat Grant had a lot to do with Kara's improved mood. She told the hero she'd be back tomorrow, and left her to sleep some more. On her way out, she smiled at Cat, who had suddenly appeared in front of her. "Whatever you're doing," she instructed, "keep doing it. You're making a big difference for her."

Cat smiled at the doctor. "I'm glad," she said softly. "Thank you."

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When Carter came home from school, he went out to the balcony to check on Kara. He was worried about her, and had been ever since she came to stay at their apartment. He had noticed the sadness in her eyes, and the fear. He saw how weak she was yesterday, and suspected that whatever had happened to her had been far worse than what anyone was saying. He noticed how protective Alex had been of her sister lately, and knew that she hadn't been okay.

Kara opened her eyes and smiled at Carter. "Hey," she said softly. "How was school?"

"It was good," Carter said automatically. "How are you feeling?" He examined her carefully, noting the exhaustion, but was relieved to see that the sadness in her gaze had diminished somewhat.

"Better," Kara said. "Just really tired."

Carter nodded. "Kara…" he began hesitantly, and quickly continued before he could stop himself. "Why did you stop helping people?"

"What?" Kara looked at him in panic. "What are you talking about? I'm just Kara, Cat's assistant. The only person I help is Cat."

"Oh, please," scoffed Carter. "I'm not an idiot. I know who you are. And I don't understand why you disappeared, and why you've been so sad." He leaned forward. "Kara, National City loves you. They need you. No one blames you for anything that happened. They just want you back."

Kara wrapped her hands together nervously, desperate to fix this situation. "Want me back? Carter, I don't know what you mean…"

"Kara, haven't you seen the online petition? The public rally?"

"The… what?"

"I'll be right back," Carter said. "He returned a moment later with a tablet. "Look at this," he said, and handed her the device. The browser was open to a web site asking Supergirl to return to National City, which had been digitally signed by more than 1.7 million people. He scrolled down to the comments. Kara saw responses such as, "Supergirl, please come back!" and "It's not fair what happened to you. We still love you!" He switched to another web page, which showed pictures of people holding signs in support of Supergirl, and announced that a large rally had been held in the center of National City this morning to encourage the superhero to return.

She let the tablet sink into her lap. "Carter, I…" She looked at the teenager, who glared at her, as if daring her to continue trying to lie. It was such a familiar – and terrifying – sight that she had to smile. He really was his mother's son. "They really don't hate me?" she asked quietly.

"Not at all, Kara. No one hates you. They miss you, and they're worried about you. So am I," Carter said softly.

"Carter, you don't need to worry about me. I'll be fine. I heal super-fast," she said, smiling slightly.

"Kara, I'm not worried about your strength. I'm worried about how sad you've been."

Kara's heart melted at the boy's declaration. She touched his arm lightly. "Carter, thank you for showing me these sites. It helps a lot." She was surprised when he launched himself into her arms.

"Just please be okay, Kara. My mom and I need you."

Kara's heart swelled, and she hoped she wouldn't let him down.

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Alex arrived in time for dinner, which was chicken pot pie – or rather, chicken pot pies, since Cat made three of them. Upon tasting her first bite, Alex closed her eyes in delight. "I could seriously get used to this. You two are so lucky," she said, pointing her fork at Kara and Carter. "Do you even know how lucky you are?"

Cat laughed. "You can move in too, Alex. There's plenty of room."

"Nah, I'd weigh 300 pounds if I lived here." Alex glanced jealously at Kara. "I wish I had your metabolism."

Kara smiled, looking up from the pie that she was currently eating straight out of the pan. "Cat, this really is amazingly good."

"Well, it's good to know that if things at CatCo don't work out, I'll have a career as a chef to fall back on," Cat said drily.

"Speaking of CatCo," Kara began hesitantly, "I think I should go back to work tomorrow."

"Absolutely not," said Cat. "You could barely stay awake today. I will not have my assistant falling asleep at her desk." I will not have Kara out of my house until she's 100%, she thought silently. I'm not taking any chances with her.

Alex chimed in. "You're not going anywhere until you get medical clearance. And there's no way you're getting medical clearance tonight, not with how tired you still look."

"Come on, you two. I can't just sit here and do nothing!" Kara protested.

"It's called recuperating, Kara. I know it's not something you're very good at, but it's an important skill to acquire," Cat answered.

Alex knew that Kara wasn't very happy with the two of them, but she wasn't relenting on this. Still, she tried to appease her sister. "Kara, I'll have Dr. Morris come tomorrow afternoon, and check you out. If she says you're okay to work, then you can go on Friday."

Kara sighed. "Fine," she said in a grumpy voice, sulking.

Alex had to grin at her sister's reaction. Kara was the best pouter she'd ever seen, and it had taken years for Alex to build up resistance to that pout.

Cat turned to Alex and said, "Does that look usually work for her?"

Alex nodded, smiling. "Almost always. She's going to be very disappointed when we don't react."

"It's pretty convincing," Carter said. "I totally want to give in, and I have nothing to do with this decision."

Kara glared at the three of them.

"And there's stage two," Alex acknowledged. "When the pout doesn't work, she moves right on to anger. Wait for it – stage three, acceptance, will be up shortly."

"Whatever, Alex," Kara said, sighing and resigning herself to staying home tomorrow.

Carter giggled.

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At bedtime, Cat stopped in to say goodnight to Kara. She tucked the younger woman in, and sat down on the side of the bed. "Kara, I'm sorry we're making you stay home. I know it's hard for you to feel so powerless, but you're not healthy enough to make it through a whole day at work right now." Cat paused, and then admitted, "I also like having you here, where I can take care of you."

Kara looked closely at Cat. "Are you staying home again tomorrow?"

Cat nodded. "You couldn't possibly keep me away."

"Cat…" Kara shook her head. "You need to go into work. I know how hard it is for you to be away from your office. You need to go to CatCo tomorrow."

"No, Kara," Cat responded. "I pay my department heads quite a bit of money to manage things. They are doing an adequate job for now, and I can always drive over there if an emergency comes up. Otherwise, I'm staying here with you." She smiled gently at Kara. "I like to keep an eye on you."

Kara sighed miserably. She was making things so much harder for everyone. Once again, she was reminded of just how much easier Cat's life would be without her in it. She shifted away slightly, wanting to distance herself from the older woman somehow.

"Hey," Cat said sternly, catching her arm. "Don't you dare start thinking that you're making things more difficult for me. Do you have any idea how hard my life would be without you in it? Kara…"

She couldn't find the words to finish that sentence, so instead, she leaned her head forward and met Kara's lips with her own. She placed her hands gently on Kara's cheeks, and kissed her as if her life depended on it. Kara responded eagerly, wrapping her arms around Cat's neck and pulling her closer. Cat moaned as Kara pulled her body across her and onto the bed, and she continued the series of desperate kisses as she settled in next to the younger woman. "Kara," she gasped between kisses, "I can't…" She pulled Kara closer. "Lose…" Another kiss. "You."

Cat forced herself to stop. As she saw the familiar pout beginning to form on Kara's face, she smiled at the adorable woman. "I'm still waiting for you to be back to full health, Kara." At Kara's frustrated sigh, she laughed. "I know. Me too. Can I stay here until you fall asleep?" Kara nodded, and Cat curled onto her side next to the superhero, running her fingers through Kara's long blond hair, and sighed contentedly as the hero closed her eyes and quickly fell asleep.


	12. Chapter 12

A couple of days later, Kara found herself entering CatCo for the first time all week. She had been permitted to work a half day, after meeting with Lizzie in the morning. She was exhausted, but wasn't going to let anyone know about that. She was just so glad to be doing something useful.

Kara's powers were back, sort of. She had the ability to use any of them, but only for short bursts, as they exhausted her further. It didn't really matter, because she had no intention of making her return to National City today as Supergirl, but it was nonetheless frustrating. The super-speed would have been handy today, she thought as she attacked the pile of papers that had appeared on her desk throughout the course of the week.

Cat was going easy on her, and as much as she appreciated the sentiment, it was frustrating to be treated like an invalid. Kara wasn't used to it, having spent much of her life in perfect health. She didn't like being babied, and she forced herself to be even more productive than usual, so that Cat could see how well she could handle everything.

By mid-afternoon, she was exhausted. She'd been running around collecting layouts, going from department to department to remind workers of the impending deadline. Kara wanted to make sure that everything was organized for Cat. She needed everything to be perfect, to remind Cat just how good an assistant she could be. She left James Olsen for last, wishing she could avoid him entirely. Things had been awkward between them, and she was hoping he would drop the layouts off while she was gone from her desk, and save her the trip. No such luck.

As she approached his office, she felt her legs starting to give way beneath her. She paused for a moment, leaning against the wall to regain some strength. She'd be fine. She was a superhero. Even superheroes got tired. When she felt that her legs would support her again, she resumed walking. Get right to the point, Danvers, she reminded herself. Get this over with quickly, and go back to your desk so you can rest. "James, do you have those layouts that Cat wanted?"

"Oh, hey, Kara! I've been looking for you all week," James said in greeting. "Are you feeling better? Alex said you were sick. I didn't think you got sick."

"Oh, yeah," Kara said awkwardly. James didn't know about any of what had happened, and now really wasn't the time to tell him. "Just had some issues, um, you know, with the Red Kryptonite. Recovering. Headaches and stuff. I'm better now." Even as she said those words, she felt her legs weakening, and leaned against the glass wall of James's office to support herself.

"Are you sure you're okay, Kara? You look a little pale."

"I'm fine, James," Kara insisted. "All better now."

"Okay, Kara. Listen, we should talk about what I said last week. I've had some time to think about everything, and I…"

Kara heard the words, but couldn't process what that he was saying. She felt her vision clouding, then darkening, before it finally narrowed to tiny pinpricks of light and disappeared altogether. She lost consciousness, and crashed to the floor.

Kara woke up a few moments later to James's worried voice. "Kara? Can you hear me? Kara? I need you to wake up." She opened her eyes, wincing at the bright lights of CatCo, and tried to sit up. James held her down with a hand on her shoulder. "Hold on, Kara. You fainted. You need to sit up slowly." He carefully helped her into a sitting position.

She fidgeted, embarrassed. "I'm sorry. I must just be dehydrated or something. I need to get back to my desk."

"Kara, you need to go home. You're not feeling well, and you need to rest."

"James, it's late afternoon. I'm leaving soon anyway. I'll be fine." Kara stood up, staggering slightly, and took the layouts that James held in his hand. "Thanks, but I'm really okay." She made her way from his office, ignoring his worried gaze, and went back to her desk with the last of the layouts. At least she accomplished one thing today.

Cat frowned. Kara looked extremely pale. She had been trying to take it easy on the younger woman today, but Kara had taken it upon herself to run around the office, collecting layouts personally rather than simply waiting for them to arrive. It was like Kara was trying to prove Cat wrong, and the older woman didn't understand why. She sighed, and shook her head. Might as well let the woman deliver the layouts she had worked so hard to collect.

"Kiera! Do you have my layouts?" Kara nodded, smiling brightly, and Cat winced at the fatigue she saw in Kara's eyes. "Well, bring them in already."

Kara stood up, grabbing the desk suddenly for support. As Cat narrowed her eyes, the younger woman started walking toward Cat's office, stumbled, and then righted herself and made it to Cat's desk. She deposited the layouts, and gripped the sides of the desk as if her life depended on it.

Cat stared at her assistant, who looked like she might fall over at any moment. "Kara? What's wrong?" Kara shook her head, and started to lose her balance. Cat surged around the desk and gripped her tightly. "Damn it, what are you doing to yourself? Why are you working yourself so hard?" Kara began to mumble something about being fine, but Cat didn't even stop to listen. "You need to take better care of yourself."

Kara looked miserably at Cat. "I was just trying to be a good assistant. I didn't like feeling useless. I just wanted to show you how much I was capable of."

Cat closed her eyes for a moment. "Kara," she said softly, "I want you to listen carefully to me." Kara looked up at her. "You are by far the best assistant I have ever had. Just because I tried to go easy on you today doesn't mean I don't believe in you. I just wanted to take care of you, the way you always take care of me when we're here. I wanted to ease you back in to CatCo, and make sure you didn't overextend yourself. You didn't need to prove anything to me. I already know how amazing you are. I just wanted to keep you healthy."

Kara lowered her head. She was just so exhausted, and she wasn't used to feeling this fragile. "Cat…" she said quietly, "I'm really tired."

Cat led the younger woman to the sofa in Cat's office. She lay Kara down, covered her with a blanket, and then instructed, "Stay right there." She picked up her phone and dialed. "I need you. Yeah. Good." She hung up, then looked at Kara. "I'll be ready to go soon. Will you stay there and rest for a little while?" Kara nodded and closed her eyes, too tired to speak.

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Precisely twenty minutes later, Alex and Lucy strode off the elevator and walked into Cat's office. They saw Kara fast asleep on the sofa, and Alex immediately ran over to make sure she was okay. "She's all right, Alex," Cat explained. "She's just sleeping. She's exhausted." She turned to Lucy. "Baby Lane, I didn't expect to see you here too."

Lucy smiled grimly. "I got a text from James, wanting to make sure that I knew that Supergirl was still sick. It seems that Kara told him she'd been out all week recovering from the effects of Red Kryptonite, and he was concerned when she fainted in his office. Once I told him that I knew who Supergirl was, I got the whole story. I went in to talk to Alex about it, and that's when you called. So you get both of us tonight."

Cat frowned at the knowledge that Kara had fainted earlier, and kept pushing herself even after that. "She's been running around all afternoon, trying to impress me. When she stood up to bring me some layouts, she collapsed. Then I asked her why she was working herself so hard, and she said she just wanted to be useful and make me proud of her."

"Cat," Alex said, "Kara doesn't understand that she can't always keep pushing her body. She's never really had limits, and she doesn't understand or accept them. She thinks she can push right through them with sheer force of will."

"We should get her home," Lucy said. "Cat, do you need time to finish up here?"

Cat considered that question for a moment. "I could use five more minutes. Then we can go. Carter's with his father for the weekend, so we'll have the place to ourselves."

Lucy nodded. "Let's wake her up, then. I want plenty of time to lecture her."

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"Kara, let me explain something to you. Humans – we only have so much energy. We have to conserve what we have, so we don't collapse from exhaustion. You may not be human, but your body is just as fragile right now. You can't just push your way through it. You have to rest." Lucy was fuming, wishing she could somehow make Kara be more careful.

Kara stared at Lucy, unnerved by her friend's anger. "I'm sorry," she whispered. "I just wanted to do a good job today."

Lucy sat down next to Kara and pulled the superhero into a hug. "I know, Kara," she said softly. "I just worry about you." She turned around at the sound of Alex's snort. "What?"

"No one can ever stay mad at Kara, but you caved in record time."

Lucy laughed, and admitted that she had no backbone when it came to Kara. "She's just so lovable. Kara, you know we love you, right?"

"Yeah, Lucy, I know. I'm sorry. I just wanted things to be back to normal. I don't like people worrying about me."

Lucy nodded. "I know, Kara, but that's just what happens when people care about you." She smiled and squeezed Kara's hand.

Cat stood up and looked at the three women. "Are you all ready to go?"

Kara tried to stand up, but Alex and Lucy each put a hand on her shoulder, holding her down. They grabbed her in a fireman's carry and lugged her to the elevator. Kara tried to be annoyed, but she was touched by their concern.


	13. Chapter 13

When they returned to Cat's home, the two women brought Kara into the living room and dumped her on the couch. "I can walk, you know," Kara grumbled, still feigning annoyance.

Cat looked at her. "Could've fooled me."

Kara sighed. "I was just tired. I'm fine now." That was sort of true. She was confident that she could've walked from the doorway to the couch without help.

Cat turned, exasperated. "Are we still going to play this game? How long is it going to take before you finally acknowledge that you're not 'fine'?"

Kara looked down. "I'm sorry," she uttered quietly.

Cat forced herself to take a couple of deep breaths. "Kara, I'm not mad at you. I'm just worried. I don't like seeing you wear yourself down." She looked at Kara. "I just want you to be honest with us. Can you please try to stop pretending you're okay when you're not?"

Kara nodded silently, still staring at the ground.

Alex sighed. "Cat, Kara doesn't always know what she needs. She's never really had to think about her health."

Lucy tried a different tactic. "Kara, why did you exert yourself so much today?"

Kara answered reluctantly, staring at the floor, "I just wanted Cat to believe in me. I wanted her to see that I could still be a good assistant. I needed to feel useful, and I felt like she didn't think I was. She was so hesitant to ask me to do anything."

"So Cat was overprotective, and you overcompensated by working too hard," Lucy summarized. "Basically, we're talking about a complete lack of communication."

Cat had to smile at the succinct wrap-up. But Kara interjected, "I didn't work too hard. I should have been able to handle it. I've always been able to do a lot more than I did today. Suddenly I can't do things that I'm used to doing, and I hate it."

"Kara," Alex stated firmly, "you are recovering from a poison that nearly killed you. Do you think you could stop putting yourself down long enough to acknowledge that you're still not totally healthy? Can we revisit your analysis in a week or two?"

"Kara, having you at 30% is still light years better than what anyone else could do," Cat added. "I told you that you're the best assistant I've ever had, but maybe I wasn't clear enough. I meant that you, on your very worst days, are still twice as good an assistant as anyone else that I could ever imagine. Kara, you anticipate my needs before I even know what they are. You maneuver my schedule so that I never have to worry about anything, and you anticipate problems before they arise. You were doing that today, even before you felt the need to run all over the office picking up layouts that could just as easily have been dropped off."

Cat leaned forward. "Kara, I need you to trust me. I need you to believe me when I say that you could never, ever be useless, and promise me that you won't try to do things just to impress me, because I already think you're amazing. And in return, I won't try to shelter you. I'll let you tell me what you can handle. But you have to be honest with me. Can you do that for me? And Kara, don't just nod your head. Can you actually do that for me?"

Kara looked up at Cat, and eventually responded. "I'll try."

"Good enough," Cat said, smiling warmly at Kara. She walked over to the hero, and kissed her lightly on the cheek. Lucy and Alex exchanged raised eyebrows and grins at the impromptu show of affection. Without turning around, Cat said, "Do the two of you have something you'd like to share with us?"

Lucy laughed. "Cat, I just want you to know that the two of you are adorable."

Cat smiled at Kara, and kissed her lightly on the lips.

Alex was reeling. It's not that she hadn't seen the sparks between them – she would have to be blind to have missed that – but she didn't actually expect either one of them to act upon it. "How…" she began, and then faltered. "When…"

Lucy snorted with laughter. "Poor Alex. We should probably give her a few minutes to recover." She patted the agent's hand, and said, "Let us know when you're ready to form whole sentences again."

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After dinner, Lucy announced that she had some news to share with Alex and Kara. "I've been spending a lot of time negotiating for Hank Henshaw," she began. "He saved Alex, and helped contain the Red Kryptonite threat, so I felt I owed it to him to help. I've been lobbying for his reinstatement as head of the DEO. He earned that position, far more than I did. I haven't gotten very far on that front, but I have managed to convince the military that he's proven his allegiance to our country. He is being released, and I've been given permission to use my judgment on allowing him to help the DEO, if he agrees to that. It's not what I was hoping for, but it's a start."

Kara launched herself into Lucy's arms. "Lucy, thank you so much!" She couldn't even express her relief that Hank was being released from prison. It was all her fault that he had been put there in the first place. This, at least, was a step in the right direction.

When Kara finally released Lucy, she was surprised to receive a hug from Alex as well. "Thank you for helping him, Lucy," Alex said softly. Lucy nodded and said she would do whatever she could. She was happy that the agent finally seemed to be warming up to her. She knew they had gotten off to a rocky start, due to her ill-advised comments about Supergirl, but she was discovering that the fastest way to Alex's heart was to help the people she cared about. Alex was fiercely loyal, and she had begun to accept Lucy once she realized that they both loved Kara. The agent had opened her heart further once she found out that Lucy was fighting for Hank as well. Lucy smiled. She found the woman fascinating, and was glad she was finally getting to know her better.

"Okay, it's time for Kara to go to bed," Cat announced, and it was a sign of just how tired Kara was that she simply nodded in agreement. Alex helped Kara to her feet and guided her toward her bedroom, pulling out some pajamas and helping Kara change and get ready for bed. She gave Kara a good night kiss, and then smiled and said, "I'll send Cat in."

Cat insisted that Lucy and Alex should stay overnight. They had enjoyed several glasses of wine, and she wouldn't hear of them driving home afterward. As they settled into guest rooms, Cat went in to say good night to Kara. She crawled onto the bed, continuing the now-familiar ritual of holding Kara while the younger woman fell asleep. Eventually, she left Kara's bed for her own, and couldn't help noticing how empty her bed felt without Kara's presence. She lay awake for a long time, missing Kara's warmth and steady breathing.


	14. Chapter 14

By Monday morning, Kara was ready to kill the next person who treated her like an invalid. After spending the entire weekend resting, she was more than ready to get out of the house. She felt as good as new – maybe a little bit tired, but the achiness was gone and her powers were back. Cat had reluctantly agreed to allow her to come to work after her session with Lizzie, and she couldn't wait.

Kara spent much of the conversation talking about Supergirl. She thought maybe she was ready to come back, at least in a limited role. Lizzie encouraged her to do that, but only if she was ready. "Kara, you have to be prepared. How will you feel if someone criticizes you? Or if something goes wrong, and you can't save everyone?"

Kara frowned. "I'll just have to make sure that nothing goes wrong."

Lizzie sighed. If only it were that easy. "Kara, you've done some great work over the last couple of weeks. You've come a long way. The most important thing right now is to keep you healthy. I don't want to see something happen that sets you back emotionally. You know you're still a little fragile."

Kara nodded. "I know. I'll try to go easy on myself. But I don't think I can sit back and watch people suffering anymore without trying to help."

Of course she couldn't. Lizzie knew that; it's why Kara needed Supergirl. She nodded reluctantly. "Please just be careful, Kara. I don't want to see you hurt." She smiled at the young woman. "See you Wednesday morning?" They were going to cut back to three or four days a week, giving Kara a chance to get back to a more normal work schedule.

Kara nodded, smiling. "Thanks, Lizzie."

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Wearing the supersuit under her clothes felt strangely comforting. For the last couple of weeks, Kara had felt like something was missing, like she was half-naked without the spandex body suit. As she approached her desk at CatCo, she smiled happily. She was back.

Cat noted her assistant's wide smile with relief. She was glad to see that Kara was feeling better, both physically and emotionally. She beckoned her assistant in, and gratefully accepted the latte that Kara offered. "How did it go?" she asked softly.

"Good," Kara said, smiling happily. "I'm so glad to be back."

Cat nodded. "I'm going to treat you just like any other day, okay? But I'm going to ask you how you're feeling periodically. And you need to promise me that you'll tell me if you're feeling tired. That's the deal."

Kara nodded gratefully. "I will."

Cat sincerely doubted that Kara would ever tell her she was feeling tired, but she knew the girl was trying, and that was enough. She smiled, and said, "Good. Get to work then."

"Thanks, Ms. Grant," Kara said, with a small smile.

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"Kara! Where have you been?" Winn approached her desk with a smile, but Kara saw the look of concern in his eyes.

"Hey, Winn," Kara said, smiling back. "I've had a rough couple of weeks, but I'm better now."

"Yeah," Winn responded, "I heard you were… sick?" From the look in his eyes, Kara doubted he believed it. Winn had undoubtedly noticed how much Kara was struggling after the Red Kryptonite, as well as the disappearance of Supergirl, and probably thought she took some mental health time. Perhaps a month ago, Winn would have reached out to her, but things had been strained between them lately. He must have assumed she needed a little space.

Kara nodded. "I needed some time off, to clear my head. And then I got hurt and had to recover. Pretty much back to normal now."

"Hold on. When did you get hurt?" Winn looked alarmed.

"Oh." Kara sighed. So much had happened since she'd talked with Winn. "Max Lord took Cat Grant hostage, and Alex and I went to rescue her. It's kind of a long story. It all worked out okay though."

"Wow. I'm going to need to hear this story at some point! But Kara… I'm glad you're okay." He paused, glancing at Cat Grant's office. "Um… How has Cat handled all of your time off? She's kind of a witch, and she doesn't know you're Supergirl, so she wouldn't have realized you were injured…"

"Actually, Winn," Kara interrupted, "she's been pretty amazing. Really sweet."

"Sweet?" Winn repeated incredulously. "Cat Grant?"

Kara grinned. "Yeah. Who would've thought?"

"Wow." Winn shook his head, thoroughly mystified. "Well, it's really good to see you back, Kara."

Kara smiled widely at her friend. "It's good to be back."

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Just after lunchtime, Kara saw a bulletin about a multi-car crash on the highway. She smiled. Lizzie had warned her to take it easy, but it didn't get much easier than helping to clear a road. Supergirl to the rescue, she thought happily.

A few minutes later, Cat looked up in surprise when she heard the word Supergirl, and her surprise turned to alarm when she saw Kara on the TV screen, carrying people over to ambulances and lifting cars off of the road. The commentators were chatting happily about Supergirl's return. What was Kara doing? She was supposed to be recovering. She shouldn't be out there, not when there was any possibility that she could hurt herself. Cat forced down her rising panic.

Just then, a car that Kara was carrying burst into flames as the gas tank ignited. She saw Kara wince and falter, and held her breath. The hero quickly recovered, using her freeze breath to douse the fire and setting the car down next to a fire truck. Cat forced herself to breathe again.

Supergirl continued working with the rescue workers to transport injured people and clear the roadway. When she finally put down the last car, a reporter ran up to her. "Supergirl! Are you back for good? Any comment for the people of National City?"

Kara smiled at the reporter, and said, "Please just tell them that I appreciate their support, and I'm so sorry for what happened. I hope they'll let me make it up to them." She waved, and took off. Two minutes later, the elevator doors opened and Kara strode out, an extra bounce in her step.

Her smile wavered when she saw Cat standing at her desk, scowling viciously. "Balcony," Cat said through gritted teeth. Kara nodded and swallowed nervously.

Once they had reached the balcony, Cat smacked her, hard, on the chest. "What were you thinking? You call that recovering? You could've gotten hurt! You could've been burnt, or crushed!"

Kara's face crumpled. "I was thinking," she whispered, "that I could help. That I wanted to be Supergirl again." She sank against the wall, knowing that she had somehow screwed up, but not really understanding why.

Cat forced herself to calm down, and let go of her anger. Not too long ago, she'd been hoping to see Kara doing exactly that. What had changed?

Without even a moment of thought, she knew the answer to that question. Her feelings had changed. The love she felt for Kara made her terrified for the hero's safety. Her desire to take care of Kara was clouding her judgment. She knew how important this was to Kara, but rather than being happy about it, she was terrified of seeing Kara get hurt.

She took a couple of steadying breaths. "Kara, I'm sorry. I'm just so afraid of losing you. You scared me so much when you almost died – twice – and I overreacted." She looked at Kara, eyes sincere. "I'm really happy that you're ready to be Supergirl again. I know how much it means to you."

Kara nodded uncertainly. All of her elation from earlier was gone. Now she just felt confused and saddened. Did Cat not want her to be Supergirl anymore?''

Seeing the confusion in her eyes, Cat stepped toward her, and spoke softly. "Kara, I'm sorry. I was just surprised, and it made me worried. I want you to do this. Supergirl is who you are, and I'm glad you're back. I just needed a few minutes to process it." She pulled the hero into a hug. "I'm so proud of you," she murmured, then kissed her softly.

Kara breathed a sigh of relief and relaxed into the kiss.

"Now that I've made a fool of myself, let's get back to work, shall we?" Cat said, smiling. "By the way, you smell like a campfire."

Kara grinned, then nodded.

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An hour later, Kara was somewhat surprised to see Alex step out of the elevator. She stood up to greet her sister, and Alex grabbed her into a fierce hug. "Kara, I'm so proud of you," the agent said. "I just wanted to come by and tell you that." She kissed Kara's cheek, and stepped back, surveying her. "You still feeling okay? Not too tired?"

Kara sighed. "Alex, I'm fine. Everyone needs to stop worrying about me."

Alex glanced at Cat. What was going on? Where was the elation that usually followed a Supergirl rescue? Kara saved her the trouble of asking. "Cat was mad at me," she said sadly. "Then, she said she was proud of me. I don't know what I'm supposed to do."

Alex sighed. She understood exactly why Cat had reacted that way. She'd had essentially the same reaction, but she'd had time to get her feelings under control before seeing Kara. Cat hadn't been given that luxury. "Kara, Cat's been taking care of you for the last couple of weeks. She's just nervous at the idea of letting you risk your life again. It's not that she's not happy for you. She's just scared."

Kara looked at her uncertainly. "So what do I do?"

"You do exactly what you were planning on doing. You come back as Supergirl. You just need to understand that Cat was surprised, and reacted emotionally. We all know how much this means to you, and we want you to be Supergirl. Cat just needed to adjust."

Kara nodded unhappily. "Okay."

"Kara?" Alex said gently. "We really are proud of you."

"Thanks, Alex."

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The rest of the day passed without incident. When Kara and Cat arrived at her apartment, Carter launched himself into Kara's arms. "I'm so glad you're back!" he exclaimed. Cat looked at her son as if he'd gone insane, until he turned to her, rolled his eyes, and said, "Supergirl, mom. Not Kara."

Cat froze. "Carter…"

"Mom, don't bother," Carter responded. "Kara already tried. I'm not stupid."

Cat looked at Kara, who blushed and mumbled something incoherent. Cat shook her head, and then smiled. "My brilliant boy. Can you please teach Kara how to keep a secret?"

Carter grinned, and began chatting excitedly about Supergirl's rescue. "Kara, I thought that explosion was going to knock you down, but you, like,…"

Cat rolled her eyes and went to make dinner, leaving the two of them to discuss Kara's heroics.

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That night, Cat was disappointed to find Kara's bedroom empty. Puzzled, she went to her own room, and smiled when she saw the superhero sitting on the edge of her bed. "Cat," said Kara, "you've been staying with me until I fall asleep, and then you disappear to your own bed, and I miss you. Can I stay here with you?"

Cat took a few steps toward her bed, and then leaned down and touched her lips lightly to Kara's. "I'd like that, Kara," she said gently. They both got into bed, and Kara curled herself toward Cat. She sought Cat's lips, and pulled the older woman closer as she began to kiss her earnestly.

"Kara, I thought you came here to sleep."

"Sleeping is overrated, Ms. Grant," Kara said huskily, and Cat had to force herself not to beg Kara to use those magical hands.

"Mmm. I'm not convinced you're completely healed yet." That wasn't entirely true. Kara was obviously fine, physically. Emotionally, on the other hand, Kara still had some work to do. They needed to take this slow. She smiled at Kara. "Our clothes need to remain on. Can I trust you to do that?"

Kara giggled. "Ms. Grant, a lot of things can happen with clothes on."

Oh God, Cat thought. She was not going to survive this. "Kara! You know what I mean."

"Okay, okay. But I'm allowed to kiss you, right?"

"Always," Cat responded, smiling.


	15. Chapter 15

They didn't sleep much, but their clothes remained on all night long. They spent the night cuddled together and sharing soft kisses, just enjoying the sensations of holding and exploring each other. It wasn't 'hot', exactly – well, okay, two gorgeous women wrapped in each other's arms is pretty much hot by definition – but the focus was more on intimacy. Whatever was happening between them was bigger than either of them had expected, and both women were adjusting to the depth of their feelings.

When Kara opened her eyes the next morning and saw Cat's lips just inches from her face, she couldn't resist moving in to kiss the woman again. The older woman quickly reciprocated, and they spent another few minutes lost in their embrace. "God," Cat murmured, "I wish I never had to get out of bed. I could do this forever."

"Mmm," Kara agreed, pulling Cat even closer. "We can stay home today."

Cat sighed. "That would be irresponsible." She quickly pulled herself away and got out of bed, ignoring Kara's pout. "Chop chop, Kiera. Don't be late."

Kara rolled her eyes at the woman's quick transformation, and got out of bed.

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Kara had only been at work for an hour when she got a call from Alex. "Kara, there are some aliens in front of the city offices in the north end of the city. Weird looking guys, like a cross between rats and spiders."

Kara shivered at the unappealing image. "Sounds like a nightmare I had last week."

"Yeah, well, this one's real. Meet you there?"

"You got it."

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Kara surveyed the scene. She spotted three of the creepy-looking aliens, all focused on pulling gas lines out of the ground. "What are they doing?" she asked.

She heard Lucy's voice in her ear. "Best guess is that they plan to light the gas lines on fire and ignite the building, along with probably half the city. We need to take them out."

"Okay." Supergirl swooped down and landed in front of the eight-legged figures. The minute she hit the ground, 24 legs converged upon her. In a blur of movement, Supergirl grabbed a tangle of legs and twisted them together, forming a series of knots that the three aliens struggled to undo. Next, she slammed the rat shaped head of the first alien into the ground, knocking him out cold. By then, the other two aliens had managed to untangle some of their limbs, and two of those legs grabbed Supergirl and hurled her across the street. Before she could stop herself, she was flung through the window display of a nearby store.

She lifted herself up and dusted off some loose pieces of glass, and then charged back across the street. She grabbed the two remaining aliens by gripping the legs of one alien in her left hand, and the second alien in her right hand. Holding onto their limbs, she swung each alien hard into the ground. Both were knocked unconscious.

Just then, the DEO van arrived. "Good timing, Alex," she said, smiling. "You can clean up the trash."

"Nice work, Supergirl," her sister responded. "Try not to break any windows next time."

She smiled, quickly stuck out her tongue, and flew away. It felt good to be back.

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When her phone rang again just after lunch, Kara sighed. She was working on a series of emails that really needed to get finished. "I'm busy, Alex," she said irritably.

"Sorry, Supergirl. There's a bomb threat at the Knights' game. If you can't make it, the police can deal with it. I just thought–"

Kara cut her off. "On my way." She vividly remembered the hostage situation from a couple of weeks ago, when several people died because she hadn't intervened. That couldn't happen again. She sent a few more emails, and took off two minutes later.

As she arrived at National Park, she saw a crowd of about 50,000 people waiting for the baseball game to start. They seemed to have no idea that their lives were in danger. Supergirl spotted some policemen gathered in the parking lot, and said, "Tell me what you know."

"Supergirl, we've been told that there are several bombs, but we don't know where they are or how they're triggered. Do you think you can find them?"

She nodded. "I'll see what I can do. Shouldn't we be evacuating the park?"

He nodded. "We're about to make an announcement. By the time we get everyone out of there, though, it might be too late."

"Okay. I'll let you know what I find." She took off, and hovered above the stadium, searching carefully for explosive devices. She spotted six, strategically spaced around the stands. She didn't know whether they were on a timer or manually activated, but she couldn't take any chances. Once she moved in to grab the first one, the perpetrator might set them off. Super-speed it is, then, she thought grimly.

She took off at full speed toward the first bomb. She grabbed it, and immediately headed toward the next device. Within a couple of seconds, she had gathered all six explosives. Once they were all in her possession, she took off into the sky. She needed to get as far away as possible before they exploded. After a few more seconds, she heard a click, and knew that time was up. She hurled the bombs as far away as possible, and braced herself for the impact.

All six devices exploded simultaneously. She felt herself being thrown through the air, toward the ground. She tried to halt her motion, but the blast was just too strong. With a thump, she smashed into the ground with such force that it cratered underneath her. She lay there for a moment, waiting for the world to stop spinning. She saw policemen running toward her, and saw their lips moving, but couldn't hear anything they said. As she sat up, the world began to come back into focus, and the buzzing in her ears gradually morphed into the sounds of National City.

"Supergirl, are you okay?" asked a concerned policeman, running up to the edge of the newly-created crater.

"I'm good," she said, smiling weakly. "Need to work on my landing, though." She stood up, dusted herself off, and climbed out of the crater. "I got them all." She nodded at the policeman, and took off.

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Cat was waiting for her when she stepped out of the elevator. The older woman beckoned Kara into her office. "Are you all right?" she asked softly.

Kara nodded. "I'm good. Just behind on my work." She frowned.

"Kara, I don't care about that. You'll catch up. Are you feeling okay physically?"

Kara nodded. "Kind of sore. I'm okay though."

Cat narrowed her eyes. "Do I need to send you home? I don't want you fainting on me."

Kara flushed, embarrassed at the reminder. "No, I'm good. Probably need to eat something. I burned a lot of calories."

Cat nodded. Finally, something she could help with. "Go work on my balcony. You could use a little sun. I'll order you some food."

Kara nodded gratefully, gathered her things, and set herself up on the balcony. When two large bags of takeout were dumped onto the table, she looked up at Cat and grinned. "You are way too good to me."

Cat kissed her forehead, and smiled back. "I like taking care of you."

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Kara spent the rest of the day on the balcony, blissfully uninterrupted, eating tons of Chinese food and catching up on work. At the end of the work day, she turned off her tablet and sighed with relief, finally feeling like she had things under control again.

Cat, who had spent the last hour with Kara on the balcony, looked up from her laptop. "Done for the day?" she asked, and Kara nodded happily. "Ready to go home, then?"

"Cat," Kara began hesitantly, "I was kind of hoping I could stop by the DEO before I go home. I'd like to see how Hank is doing, and Alex said he's there."

"Of course, Kara. But I'm coming with you," Cat said. She wanted to meet this Hank person. At least, that was her excuse. The truth was that Cat wasn't sure she entirely trusted Kara's self-assessment, and she didn't like the idea of the woman flying around by herself after such a taxing day. The fact that Kara had done it a million times didn't matter. Kara was hers now, and she wasn't going to let anything happen to the superhero.

A few minutes later, Cat found herself standing on the roof of CatCo for the first time in her life. "Kara, you know I don't like heights, right?" Cat asked nervously.

Kara, who had changed into her Supergirl costume, smiled widely. "Do you trust me?"

"Of course I trust you, Kara. But I also trust gravity. I hear it's been pretty consistently successful over the last few billion years, and I'm not inclined to challenge it."

"Cat," Kara said softly, "I would never let you fall. I would die before I let anything happen to you."

"I'm holding you too that," Cat said nervously. "So how do we do this?"

"Well," Kara said, "there are a couple of options." She quickly scooped Cat up, bridal style, wrapping one arm around Cat's shoulder and the other underneath Cat's knees. "I can hold you like this, if you want. Or…"

She set Cat gently on the ground, pulled her in close, and wrapped her arms around the older woman in a tight hug. "I prefer this, personally, because I like being closer to you." She grinned. "Wrap your arms around my neck. You can stand on my feet if you want something underneath you. But I'm not going to drop you."

"I know, Kara," Cat said, a little bit nervously. She wrapped her arms around Kara's neck, perhaps a little tighter than necessary.

Kara leaned her head down to kiss the older woman gently. Then she smiled, looked into Cat's eyes, and lifted them slowly off the ground. She felt Cat inhale sharply, and the woman's heart started beating faster, so she held her position about ten feet above the roof. Cat met her gaze, and the two women stared into each other's eyes. Gradually, Cat loosened her grip and relaxed slightly.

Kara smiled and kissed Cat again. "Ready?" she asked.

"Take us away," Cat said, smiling slightly. This was actually… kind of nice. She took a couple of glances around, and gasped at the beauty of National City spread below them. She should feel nervous and exposed, but it was impossible to feel anything but safe in Kara's strong arms. She relaxed and enjoyed the view.

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When they arrived at the DEO, they found Lucy, Alex, and Hank in the command center. Kara immediately ran over and wrapped her arms around Hank. "Hank, I'm so sorry! I shouldn't have–"

Hank stopped her. "None of what happened was your fault. You need to accept that. I'm fine, and I would do the same thing a hundred more times if I thought it would protect you."

Kara hugged him even more tightly. "Thank you for everything."

Cat eyed this strange man, who looked at Kara as if she were his own daughter. She recognized him as one of the agents who'd come to her office after the Leslie Willis incident, as well as the person who had been arrested when Supergirl was captured, after morphing into some strange creature. She was fascinated.

Never one to stand on the sidelines, she decided to explore the situation further. She walked up to Hank and Kara, stuck her hand out, and said, "Hi. I'm Cat Grant."

Hank turned around, and she thought she detected a hint of – was that fear in his eyes? "Hank Henshaw," he said. "It's nice to meet you, ma'am."

Clearly, he was not at all comfortable around her, and she wasn't quite sure why. It seemed to go beyond just having a media member in the room. And there was something about the way he said "ma'am" that seemed strangely familiar. Something about his posture and mannerisms. She couldn't quite place it. Cat narrowed her eyes, trying to identify the connection that was just out of reach, and circled around to survey him more closely.

Kara was watching this interaction with fascination. Hank was afraid of Cat. She'd never seen him scared of anything. And Cat seemed like she was desperately trying to solve a puzzle, and was content to toy with this terrified version of Hank until she figured it out. It was very feline and incredibly sexy. She wanted to rescue Hank from what seemed like an uncomfortable situation, but she found herself glued to the floor, staring at the scene playing out in front of her.

Alex stepped in to end Hank's misery. "Kara, Hank is going to work with us. He's not officially in charge, but he and Lucy are going to work as a team." She smiled at Lucy in gratitude. The young woman was putting her career on the line for a man she barely knew.

Lucy added, "He and I will unofficially be co-directors. He knows this organization ten times better than I do, and I trust his judgment."

Kara beamed happily. Two of her favorite people were going to be running this organization. She hugged Lucy, squeezing tightly. "Lucy, thank you."

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After visiting with Lucy, Alex, and Hank for a few minutes, Cat and Kara went home. Kara felt like a great weight had been lifted off of her shoulders, and Cat was thrilled to see her superhero looking happier. Still, she had the nagging feeling that she was missing something.

"Kara, where have I seen Hank before? There's something very familiar about his mannerisms, the way he said "ma'am"… I can't place it, but there's something."

Kara responded, "I think you met him after the Leslie Willis incident. Pretty sure you called him Agent Mulder?"

Cat paused. "Yes, that's true, but there's something else. The mannerisms are familiar, but not the voice. I can't quite figure it out."

Kara shrugged. She was not about to let Cat know that Hank had spent hours in her office, posing as Kara. "Maybe he just acts like a typical government agent."

Cat eyed the younger woman skeptically. "What aren't you telling me?" At Kara's panicked look, she sighed. "Never mind. I'll figure it out for myself."

It was not until the two were curled against each other in bed that something clicked. "Whole milk!" Cat exclaimed.

Something's finally tipped her over the edge, Kara thought. "What? You hate whole milk."

"Exactly!" Cat said, pointing into Kara's face. "You know that, but he doesn't."

"Umm… what?"

"He was you that day, wasn't he? The day I sent you home after your melodramatic display. He can change his shape."

"Oh." Kara laughed nervously. "Um…"

"Oh, don't bother," Cat said drily. "Your stuttering is confirmation enough. Now come here already, and kiss me." She set Kara's mouth to work doing something much more productive than awkwardly denying what she already knew to be true.


	16. Chapter 16

Cat opened her eyes. She felt strangely rested, despite spending half the night awake in Kara's arms, kissing her softly and enjoying the feel of Kara's strong but gentle touch. She felt like she was surrounded by warmth, and looked down to see Kara draped on top of her, arm flung possessively across her stomach. Is this what intimacy felt like? The two hadn't come close to having sex; yet their relationship already felt closer than any she'd previously had. Not that Cat was exactly the poster child for healthy relationships… but this felt different. This felt strong, and solid, and real.

The thought unnerved her. Cat wasn't used to depending on anyone or anything (with the exception of Carter, of course). She had singlehandedly managed to build an empire, while raising a beautiful boy. Cat Grant didn't need other people. Cat Grant accomplished whatever she wanted to, without anyone's help. And yet, the thought of not needing anyone else in her life suddenly seemed strangely empty, and that was terrifying. Because needing someone, depending on anyone, meant getting hurt. And Cat Grant didn't get hurt. Nothing could bring her down. Nothing except Carter.

And now, Kara, she thought grimly. This woman, with her kindness and gentle touches and generous nature and sincerity, was going to destroy her. Cat would do anything to see that beautiful, delighted smile. She would give up everything she owned if it meant making Kara happy. All those boundaries that Cat had carefully erected around herself had been demolished by the alien, who was somehow the most human person Cat had ever met.

How had she managed to become so vulnerable? Was it a mistake? Cat knew, without even thinking about it, that the answer was no. She would never regret opening her heart to this woman. This, after all, was Kara. She was worth anything and everything that Cat could give her. Much more, actually, but Cat vowed to herself that she would devote her life to making her beautiful hero happy.

Kara stirred, and wrapped her arm more tightly around Cat's waist. Cat sighed happily and pulled the superhero towards her, wrapping her arms around Kara and squeezing gently. "Mmm," Kara mumbled incoherently, and smiled. Cat pulled Kara in for a good morning kiss, and soon found herself lost in the feel of Kara's soft body against her own. "If I keep waking up to this every morning, I'm going to stop getting out of bed altogether," Kara murmured.

Cat smiled. Kara really was adorable. And she really did need to get moving. She forced herself not to think about the idea of waking up next to Kara every morning, and about the beautiful woman wearing only a nightgown next to her. "Don't tempt me," she said, smiling, and then rolled out of bed.

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"Lucy, what's up?" It was early afternoon, and Kara was sitting at her desk. She'd begun her day in conversation with Lizzie, talking about Supergirl's gradual reappearance, and she felt good about how things were going. So when she saw a call from Lucy, she felt confident that whatever it was, she could handle it.

"Kara…" Lucy sighed. "Alex didn't want me to call you about this one, but I wanted to leave it up to you. There's a woman on the roof of a building right near you. She's threatening to jump. Please don't do this if you don't think you can handle it. I'm sure the police can–"

Kara jumped out of her chair, and cut Lucy off. "Be right there."

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Cat looked up to see her assistant running toward the stairwell. She kept her eyes on the television, and a moment later she spotted a scene at a nearby building, where police were gathering and spreading a net for a possible jumper. She was immediately furious with whoever thought it was a good idea to send Supergirl to counsel a suicidal person, just a couple of weeks after her own suicide attempt. She pressed a button on her phone. "Alex!"

"Cat, this wasn't me. Lucy wanted to let her decide–"

"She is not ready for this, Alex! She can't–" Cat felt her voice breaking, and said desperately, "I can't let anything happen to her."

"Cat, she's stronger than you think," said Lucy, who had joined the conversation on speakerphone. "She wanted to do this. We can't keep her away from situations just in case they might upset her. You know that."

Cat closed her eyes. "But why did you have to tell her?" she asked quietly.

"I'm sorry, Cat. Maybe it was a mistake. I thought she might be able to help, in a way that many people can't, because she understands what that feels like."

Cat sighed. "Well, you'd better be right, because if this goes badly, I may never forgive you."

Alex interjected, "Let's just wait and see what happens, okay?"

"Yeah," Cat said softly.

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"Supergirl," the young woman said disdainfully. "Get away from me."

Kara held up her hands and stepped back. "I'm just here to help, if I can."

"I don't want your help. I don't want anyone's help. Go away." The girl shook her head, staring at the superhero. Was there anyone LESS likely to understand what she was feeling than this beautiful, powerful woman? "Why would you think you could help me?"

Kara said quietly, "Because I know what it's like to feel hopeless. I don't want you to have to go through that alone."

The girl took a step back and stared at the superhero. "You?" she asked incredulously. "You couldn't possibly know what this feels like. You have superpowers. You can fly, for God's sake! Just look at you! How could you ever feel this hopeless?"

Kara, hands still spread in a gesture of peace, responded softly, "Like the world would be better off without you? Like everything is just too much, and you can't even bear the thought of waking up tomorrow morning? Like nothing is ever going to get better?"

The girl stared at her for a moment with an inscrutable expression. Then she said, "I got fired today." She clenched her hands into fists. "I told my boss I didn't want to sleep with him, and he fired me."

Kara looked at her sadly. "You're better off without him. What kind of man does that to his employees?"

The girl shook her head angrily. "One who knows that his employees have bills to pay, and are desperate for money. I've already been evicted from my apartment. I have nothing left."

"Then let's get back at him," Kara said. "Let's expose what he's doing. Let's find you a better job."

She laughed bitterly. "Like anyone wants to hire me now. He told me he's going to make sure I'm never hired anywhere again." The woman blew out an angry breath. "It doesn't matter. I don't even care anymore. I'm so done with everything."

"Well, at least tell me his name, so I can go beat him to a pulp."

The young woman waved her hand weakly. "Nah. It's okay."

"No!" responded Kara with such vehemence that the girl looked at her in surprise. "It's not okay at all. He took advantage of you, and then he fired you, and no one should get away with that." She looked closely at the troubled woman. "Will you please let me help?"

"No one can help me," she responded softly.

"I can help you find another job. And I really, really want to expose this awful man. Will you let me introduce you to someone who can help with that? I promise she will listen." She saw the hesitation in the other woman. "Look, you can jump anytime, right? Not that I want you to! But you can't undo it once you make that decision. Give me a chance to help you first. Please?" She held out her hand in a gesture of friendship.

The younger woman sighed. "You weren't going to let me jump anyway, were you?"

"Not a chance," said Kara, smiling warmly. "What's your name?"

"I'm Melissa."

"Melissa, it's nice to meet you." Kara shook her hand. "I'd like to introduce you to a close friend of mine, okay? She's kind of my hero. And I think you would like her. Plus, you'll get away from all these cops who are waiting to lock you up. Come on, I'll take you for a ride."

Melissa smiled hesitantly. "That last part actually sounds kind of cool."

Kara grinned. "It is cool. I'll show you what National City looks like from the air." She picked the woman up, and took off. Kara took the scenic route to CatCo. Melissa needed to be reminded that there were good things in this world, and there wasn't much better than flying.

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When she heard a slight noise on her balcony, Cat leapt up from her desk. There was a soft knock on her balcony door, and she beckoned the superhero in.

"Ms. Grant," said Supergirl, "I'd like you to meet Melissa. She's a friend of mine, and I thought maybe we could talk to you for a few minutes."

Cat strode over to meet the young woman, who looked scared and vulnerable. She assumed that this was the girl Kara had met on the roof, and she was determined to do whatever she could to help Kara with the situation. "Hi Melissa," she said, smiling. "I'm Cat."

"Hi," the girl mumbled, staring at the floor. Cat could see that she was starting to second-guess her decision to come here.

"Ms. Grant," Supergirl said, "I'd really like you to help us with something. Melissa was just fired from her job by her sleazy boss, and I thought maybe you could help us get back at him."

Cat frowned. "Unwanted advances?" she asked softly. The girl shrugged, which was confirmation enough for Cat. "Asshole," she muttered to herself. This sounded like something right up her alley. The information might never see print, but it would be enough to ruin his career and get some justice for the young woman. "Melissa, if you're okay with it, I would be happy to help," she said firmly. She saw the girl look up in surprise, and then nod hesitantly.

Cat turned to the troubled young woman. "This is all going to be your call. I won't do anything without your consent. You understand that, right?"

She nodded silently.

Supergirl looked at Cat, and then Melissa. "I'm sorry, but I need to go. Ms. Grant, will you please take care of Melissa for me?"

"Of course," Cat said. "I'll have my assistant work closely with her, and we can get things started. Melissa, is this all okay with you? We'll take it as slowly as you want."

"Yeah," the girl said quietly. Cat Grant was an imposing presence, and she found herself just nodding in agreement as the woman took charge. It was kind of a relief, after how out-of-control she had felt earlier. She was shocked by the woman's willingness to help. Supergirl probably had that effect on people.

"Melissa," Supergirl said, "if you need to reach me for any reason, just tell Ms. Grant or her assistant, okay? They both know how to get in touch with me."

The young woman nodded again. Supergirl touched her arm briefly. "I mean it. I'm here if you need anything. I always have time for my friends." She took off. A minute later, Kara returned to her desk.

"There's my assistant. Finally back from the copy machine, I see. Kiera! I need you to come meet someone."

Kara rushed in. "Sorry, Ms. Grant. The copier kept jamming. I got Winn to fix it, but it took forever." She adjusted her glasses nervously, and spotted Melissa standing in the corner. "Hi, I'm Kara. Ms. Grant likes to pretend she doesn't know my real name."

The girl nodded shyly. "Melissa."

"Kiera," Cat said, drawing out the incorrect name, "I need you to take Melissa down to Noonan's and get her something to eat. Then I need you to get some background information from her about her deplorable asshole boss, so that we can go about destroying him."

Kara grinned. "With pleasure, Ms. Grant. Would you like me to talk with my sister? She could do a background check on him for you."

"Yes, please do that. Oh, and bring employment papers with you for Melissa to fill out, will you? We need a new secretary for legal, and I think she'd be perfect." At that, Melissa looked up in surprise, and Kara tried hard not to smile. She'd known Cat would find a way to take care of the girl. She couldn't quite hide the look of tenderness that she sent Cat's way, but Melissa was so shocked that Kara was sure she hadn't noticed.

"Good idea," Kara said briskly.

"Of course it is. I came up with it," Cat responded, rolling her eyes. "Now go."

Kara grinned. "Come on, Melissa, let's get you something to eat."


	17. Chapter 17

Kara spent the afternoon with Melissa, getting to know her and collecting information about her former employer. She placed a call to Alex, who assured her that she would come to CatCo later in the afternoon with whatever information she'd gathered. Mostly, she just spent time getting to know the girl, hoping to show the young woman that she wasn't alone.

Eventually, they retreated to Cat's balcony to talk privately. Melissa shared her story of how she'd ended up in Cat's office, and Kara did her best to seem surprised by the revelation, and promised that she would do whatever she could to help. Melissa looked at Kara, and the superhero could see how close she was to falling apart. "Melissa," Kara said softly, "you've had a lot happen to you today. You don't have to hold yourself together, you know." Melissa nodded sadly.

Kara walked over to sit next to the young woman, and squeezed her hand gently. "I mean it," Kara said emphatically. Melissa pulled her legs up and buried her head in her knees. Kara began to rub her back gently. "Can I hug you?" she asked quietly. Melissa nodded, and Kara put her arms around the younger woman. They sat there for a long time, with Melissa taking deep breaths and trying to process everything that happened, and Kara just holding her gently.

In the late afternoon, Alex and Lucy showed up at Cat's office with some folders. Cat smiled at the two women, and said, "They're out there," pointing to the balcony. "Kara's been holding her for over an hour now. I think maybe she's starting to calm down a little bit."

Alex looked at Cat. "Thank you for everything. I don't know what we would do without you. You know you've made a huge difference for her, right?" Kara had filled her in briefly, and she knew how much Cat had already done to help.

Cat waved her hand dismissively. "She needed a job, and CatCo needed a new secretary. And I will enjoy helping to expose this creep."

Lucy smiled. Typical. Cat wouldn't acknowledge that beneath her gruff demeanor, she had a heart of gold. They headed out to talk with Kara and Melissa.

When Melissa saw two black-clad women joining them on the balcony, she stiffened in fear, thinking that government officials had finally come to lock her up. She knew this had been too good to be true.

Then Kara smiled. "Hey, Alex! Lucy! Thanks for coming!" She leapt up to hug the women, and Melissa relaxed slightly. This must be the sister Kara had called, and her friend. She hadn't mentioned how intimidating they looked, like they dropped straight out of a remake of Charlie's Angels. Plus, neither one looked anything like Kara. But if Kara trusted them, they were probably okay.

She'd connected almost instantly with Kara, almost as if the two already knew each other. Which, come to think of it… Nah, their mannerisms were so different. Kara was fidgety and nervous and awkward, and Supergirl was all strength, power, and grace. Both women exuded warmth and kindness, though. People knew instantly that they could trust Supergirl, and she felt the same sort of security with Kara. She was an easy person to trust. Melissa just felt grateful that she'd been allowed to meet both of them. Each one, in her own way, brought the young woman hope, which was something she'd thought she'd lost forever.

Alex and Lucy were greeting her, and she smiled shyly. Kara took Melissa's hand and led them over to sit at a table on the balcony. Melissa was thoroughly intimidated by the powerful women who shared the balcony with her, and gripped Kara's hand tighter. Kara smiled at her, and turned to Alex. "What do you have for us?"

"Well," began Alex, "Mr. Miller has a long history of this sort of thing." She opened a folder. "He's hired quite a few women over the years, and fired a whole bunch of them as well." She showed Kara and Melissa a list of names, most of which were highlighted with notes next to them, indicating dates they'd left or been fired. "Some of the women he fired were more than happy to talk with us about his behavior. Apparently, this isn't the first time Mr. Miller thought someone in his position was entitled to certain… perks." She spat out the word, thoroughly disgusted by this man's behavior.

Lucy continued, "We've started compiling a list of women he has sexually harassed. We're also going to be talking with current employees, to make sure no one's in danger at the moment. We probably won't identify everyone he's ever harmed, but we figure he deserves to pay for as many as we can find."

"You two are amazing. Thank you for your help," Kara said gratefully.

"Are you kidding?" Alex responded. "We wouldn't miss this. This guy deserves to pay."

Lucy laughed. "I had to stop Alex from locking him up where no one would ever find him."

Melissa had gone from gazing at the floor to staring at the women in fascination. Finally, she spoke up. "I'm not the only one he did this to?" she asked quietly.

Lucy looked at her earnestly. "Not even close, Melissa. We've identified at least twelve other women so far. You're just the first one who's brought it to anyone's attention." She smiled warmly at the young woman. "I kind of wish you'd chosen a slightly less dramatic route, but we're really glad you told us. Otherwise, he might never have stopped."

Cat, who had been standing in the doorway for long enough to hear the damage this man had done, said, "Well, it sounds like the two of you did my research for me. I'm kind of disappointed. I was looking forward to digging out every last secret myself. But forget the article. This needs to go straight to the police."

Alex nodded. "We'll do some more interviews tomorrow, and then have the police bring him in. He'll have no chance to beat the charges." Alex looked at Melissa. "Do you realize how many women you've potentially helped? He's going away for good, thanks to you."

Melissa shook her head. "All I did was try to jump off a building. Supergirl is the hero."

Kara spoke up. "Regardless of how it started, you did a great thing by exposing this guy. Don't sell yourself short. Now…" She looked at Melissa intently. "We need to keep you safe. How are we going to do that?"

Melissa ducked her head. "I'm okay now, Kara."

"Not good enough," Cat said firmly. "If you're working for me, you're going to take care of yourself. I like to protect my assets. I want you seeing a counselor. We'll set it up tomorrow morning. And I want to know that you're staying with people who care about you."

"Well, I, um…" Melissa was thoroughly overwhelmed. She admitted hesitantly, "I've been living with my sister. I couldn't afford my rent, so I got evicted."

"It's a good thing your new job comes with a pay raise," Cat said pointedly. "But is she okay with you staying there for a while longer, until you're feeling a little more secure?"

"Oh yeah, she keeps telling me there's plenty of room. It'll be okay."

"Good," Kara said. "I'm going to go get in touch with Supergirl. Maybe she can take you there, and talk with your sister? I want to make sure she knows what's going on. You need support right now."

Melissa nodded. "Yeah, that's probably a good idea."

Kara left the balcony. Alex and Lucy stood up. Alex said, "Melissa, it was really nice to meet you. And thank you again for helping us expose this creep. We'll talk to you tomorrow, and give you an update, okay?"

"That sounds good," Melissa said. "Thank you for everything."

"Our pleasure," Lucy said. "See you soon, Cat," she said, smiling at the older woman.

Kara returned to the balcony. "Supergirl will be here in a minute," she said, smiling. "She's going to meet you on the roof. I just wanted to say goodnight, and make sure you're okay. I'll see you in the morning, right?"

Melissa smiled and nodded. Then she stepped forward and gave Kara a hug. "Thanks for everything. I don't know what I would've done without you. And thank you too, Ms. Grant." Cat nodded and smiled. Kara showed her to the elevator, and when she got to the roof, Supergirl was already waiting.

The hero smiled at her and said, "How'd it go?"

Shaking her head, Melissa said, "I can't believe how much they did for me. Ms. Grant offered me a job. Kara had her sister research my boss, and they're going to expose him for all the women he's tried to take advantage of. And Kara was just amazing. She made me feel so much better about myself. I don't even know how she does it. She just makes me feel like anything is possible."

"Wow. I'm glad to hear that," Supergirl responded. "I knew they would take good care of you. But I'm also glad I had another chance to see you today, because I wanted to check up on you myself. You ready to go? I need to meet this sister of yours."

Melissa nodded and smiled.

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When Kara reached Cat's apartment, Cat was waiting for her. She took one look at the superhero and grabbed onto her, holding Kara tightly. They stood like that, just holding each other. Eventually, Kara spoke. "Cat… Thank you for everything you did today. I couldn't have done it without you. I didn't really know how to help her, but I knew if I brought her to you, we could figure it out together."

Rather than deflecting, as she usually did, Cat smiled at Kara, and said, "Well, of course. We make a good team." She kissed Kara earnestly, pushing forward with one hand on Kara's chest until the younger woman was shoved against the wall. Cat took full advantage, pressing her body hard against Kara's and sliding her tongue insistently into Kara's open mouth. Cat's arms pinned Kara's hips, holding her against the wall as she turned her attention to Kara's neck. Kara gasped at the sensation of Cat's mouth on her neck, desperately turned on.

"Mom?" Carter's voice from down the hall snapped them apart. "I think your casserole is done in the oven." The two women leapt apart. He padded down the hall, and was met with two very flustered women. "Oh, hey, Kara, I didn't hear you come in." He glanced between the two of them, and then looked back again, as if confirming his suspicions. "I'll be in the kitchen," he said suddenly, and left.

Kara turned red with embarrassment. Cat laughed. "He's very perceptive," she said proudly. "But this is probably not the greatest location for what we were doing." Kara nodded silently. Cat kissed her on the cheek, and turned around to head to the kitchen. Kara followed, trying to regain her composure.

Cat knew that they needed to address what Carter had seen, or at least sensed. So when they entered the kitchen, she addressed her son. "Carter, Kara and I–"

"Yeah, yeah, mom, I know. I'm not blind. It's been going on for a while."

Cat didn't know quite what to say to that. There had been no displays of affection in front of him. She hadn't brought it up because it still just felt too new. "How did you know?"

"Mom, the way you two look at each other, it's so obvious. You used to only stare at each other when the other person wasn't looking. But now, you do it even when the other person sees you. So I assumed you two must have finally talked about it." Carter stated this like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"But…" This conversation was quickly spinning out of control. She shook her head. "Is it okay with you, Carter?"

"Oh, yeah, it's good. I like Kara. I'm glad you're finally together." He looked up at Cat. "Can we eat now?"

Cat released a breath that she hadn't realized she was holding, and smiled at Carter. "Well, good, then," Cat said unsteadily. She grabbed him from behind, and kissed his forehead before he could squirm away. "Let's eat."


	18. Chapter 18

A/N: Please note the rating change that accompanies this chapter! (M)

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Cat was already in bed, lying there reading something on her tablet, when Kara came in.

"Hey," Kara said quietly, standing there awkwardly for a moment.

"Hi," Cat said, smiling and putting her tablet away. "Get over here already. I've been thinking about you all night."

Kara smiled back and climbed into bed. Cat pulled her closer, and their lips met in a gentle kiss. "How are you doing?" Cat asked quietly. She knew that today's events would have taken an emotional toll on Kara, and she was worried.

Kara curled herself into Cat's body, resting her head on Cat's shoulder and relaxing into the older woman's arms. "I'm tired," she admitted. "I'm so glad we could help her, and I feel good about it, but I'm drained."

Cat nodded. "Of course you are. Anyone would be. And most people haven't undergone as much recent trauma in their own life."

"Cat…" Kara began, running her fingers along Cat's stomach in lazy, circular patterns. "Did I do the right thing? Maybe I should have turned her over to the police, or gotten her to a hospital. What if something happens now? What if she decides it's not worth it?"

Cat turned to face Kara, so that she could look into the young woman's eyes. This was important. Kara needed to understand that she had done everything right today, no matter what happened. "Kara, you showed her that she's not alone. You took care of her, found her a job, exposed her awful boss, held her, and made sure that she had hope for the future. You gave her a way to look forward, instead of a way out. Sure, you could have gotten her to a hospital, but don't you think your actions mean more to her than that? I saw how she looked at you. She trusts you, and she knows you care about her. That goes a long way toward helping someone who was feeling so alone. And maybe it won't work out. Maybe something will happen to traumatize her all over again. But that wouldn't make what you did any less amazing."

She ran her hand along Kara's cheek, and then continued. "Supergirl may have saved her today, at least physically. But Kara, YOU are her hero. Not because of your superpowers, but because of your kindness, compassion, and hope." She kissed Kara gently. "It's what makes you my hero too," she said softly.

Kara's eyes softened. "Thank you, Cat. You always know exactly what to say." She pulled Cat closer. "And don't forget what you did for her today. I was afraid that I wouldn't be able to help her, but I was sure you'd know what to do. You saved her, even more than I did. Thank you. And thank you for finding her a job. Legal didn't even have a secretary, did they?"

Cat smiled. "Well, they do now. They needed someone to help with the scheduling and filing, anyway."

Kara laughed. Then she pulled Cat closer and kissed her passionately, channeling her gratitude and love into a display of affection that left the older woman breathless. Something had shifted between them. They needed more.

Arms wrapped tightly around each other as the two women settled into the embrace. Cat rolled herself on top of Kara, never breaking the kiss, and her soft lips and tongue began an agonizingly slow tour of Kara's mouth. As her journey continued, Cat wrapped one arm around the back of Kara's neck and pulled the woman even closer, the movement of her talented tongue becoming more forceful. Kara moaned at the intoxicating feel of Cat's lips and tongue.

Cat turned her head slightly, and her mouth began a new exploration. She started with Kara's cheek, then kissed down the length of her jaw, following with a quick swipe of her tongue across the ear that made Kara gasp. She nibbled gently on the earlobe, before venturing lower, to the side of Kara's neck. She peppered Kara's neck with kisses, and slowly worked her way across with soft lips and an even softer tongue. Kara was moaning beneath her at the gentle, teasing stimulation, and gasped as Cat's tongue ran possessively over her collarbone.

Cat returned to Kara's mouth, taking control of the kiss as she ravaged Kara's mouth with her clever ministrations. She paused for a moment, lips resting against Kara's, and murmured, "You're wearing far too much clothing right now." Kara smiled, feeling Cat's lips curling against her, and lifted her back and raised her arms to allow Cat to slip off her nightgown. Cat took a moment to survey the gorgeous sight below her – the thin, muscled torso, beautiful breasts, and blue, blue eyes – before leaning back down to take advantage of this precious gift.

Cat's lips again met Kara's as her hands began to explore bare skin. She slid fingers over arms and shoulders, down the sides of Kara's chest, and across her stomach and abs, feeling Kara's muscles jump at the contact. After a few more minutes of patient wandering, she sank her hands lightly onto Kara's breasts, and felt Kara's sharp intake of breath. As she began a gentle massage, she felt the younger woman arching into her touch. Breaking the kiss, she lowered her mouth and began placing kisses on Kara's shoulders, then sunk her mouth lower and flicked her tongue across a nipple. She sank her mouth down onto Kara's breast, feeling the younger woman sigh, and licked and sucked greedily. Then she switched to the other breast and smothered it with the same focused attention. Meanwhile, Cat's hands were continuing to run along Kara's ribcage and stomach, as Kara moaned beneath her.

After a few more incredible minutes touching and tasting Kara's skin, Cat began to slide her hands and mouth downward. Suddenly, Kara caught her hand gently. Cat looked up to see a face flushed with desire, but Kara mouthed, "wait." She took a breath, and then said, "Your turn." She smiled, and flipped their positions. Cat allowed her to slip the nightgown off, and then settled back as Kara began the same patient descent down Cat's body.

Kara was gentle and slow, placing kisses all over Cat's face, neck, shoulders and arms, and making Cat feel like every inch of skin was being explored and cherished. When Kara finally settled onto her breasts, Cat couldn't stop herself from gasping with delight, and she writhed underneath Kara while the younger woman used her lips and tongue to worship Cat's breasts. Cat's own exploration had been deliberate and thorough. Kara's, on the other hand, was soft and gentle, and filled with tenderness. Cat was completely, desperately blazing with desire.

At this point each woman was naked except for a pair of panties. As much as Cat wanted to accelerate things, she was determined to savor the moment. She pulled Kara toward her and kissed her thoroughly, settling the younger woman on top of her so that the two of them could sink into each other's bare skin. Hands caressed shoulders and torsos, slid across legs, and gripped firmly to pull each other even closer. Thighs slipped between legs, and each woman felt the slick wetness of the other's arousal. Both were soaking wet after the endless stimulation, but both wanted to make this moment last. Cat pushed her thigh into Kara while grasping her back, and rubbed it softly against Kara's soaked center. Kara repeated the movement, grinding her own thigh into Cat's wetness. Both women moaned at the sensation, so close but not quite enough.

Cat couldn't stand to have barriers anymore. She pulled Kara's panties down and threw them off the bed. She felt Kara start to do the same, and then get impatient and simply rip the panties off of her. "Show-off," she murmured, smiling. Kara, however, was more focused on exploring this new closeness. Her hands were already working their way onto Cat's center, running the length of her slit. "Fuck, Kara," Cat moaned desperately, and slid her own hand down to match Kara's movements. The two women caressed each other gently, legs still intertwined and fingers wandering within each other's wetness, making both women pant with desire. Eventually, Kara began to grind her hand on Cat's clit, and she felt the older woman's hips jumping out to meet her motions. Cat lost her ability to think about anything else as she began to respond to Kara's ministrations.

Kara slid a finger in slowly, and Cat thrust forward to meet her hand. "Yes," she whispered. "Please." Kara began a slow, gentle rocking motion, sliding her finger in and out as she massaged Cat's clit with her thumb. She added a second finger and sped up the motion slightly, causing Cat to gasp with pleasure. As she quickened her movements, grinding and thrusting with her talented fingers, Cat's hips began to buck wildly. Barely able to speak, Cat gasped out, "Harder, Kara. Don't stop. Don't ever fucking stop." Kara obliged, adding a third finger and slamming her hand in. Again and again, she repeated this motion, hard and fast, thrusting her fingers into the woman. Cat felt herself approaching a climax, and she moaned Kara's name as her body was overtaken by a torrent of sensation.

Kara's motions slowed as she coaxed Cat down from her orgasm, and eventually she slipped her fingers out and focused on rubbing Cat's clit gently until the spasms had subsided. "Oh my God," Cat whispered hoarsely.

"I think that was the hottest thing I've ever seen," Kara murmured. "You are so incredibly sexy."

Cat was beginning to form coherent thoughts again, and there was only one thing she wanted. She slipped her hand back between Kara's legs, running fingers lightly through Kara's wetness. She dragged her fingers along the length, and slipped them between the folds. When one finger stopped to caress Kara's clit, the younger woman gasped and bucked involuntarily. She rubbed lightly, starting a motion that Kara's hips quickly matched. She massaged Kara's center, working fingers in and out as she stimulated the younger woman. Finally, she felt it was time. "Kara," Cat whispered, "Are you ready for me?"

"Cat," Kara answered in a husky voice, "I've never wanted anything as much as I want you right now. Please. I need you." In response, Cat slid a finger into Kara, slowly working her way in. She paused for a moment to allow the younger woman to adjust, and then began to stroke in and out.

"Kara, you feel so incredible. So tight, and so wet," Cat breathed. "So good." She began to slowly fuck the younger woman, using one, then two fingers as she slid in and out, palm and thumb grinding against center as she worked the younger woman into a frenzy. Kara's hips thrust automatically against Cat's fingers, and their motions gradually sped up, until Cat was fucking the superhero in quick, hard thrusts. The only sounds were their panting breaths, an occasional squeak of the mattress, and the soft noises of slick fingers sliding in and out. She kept up her feverish motions, desperately grinding, thrusting, and fucking as she whispered, "Come for me, Kara." Her words sent the hero over the edge, and Kara gasped and shuddered as she was blinded by the strength of her orgasm.

Cat continued her motions as Kara slowly came back to earth, gentling and slowing her hands until she finally came to a stop. Cat removed her fingers slowly, but kept her hand possessively on Kara's center. She felt Kara slipping away, and felt suddenly empty at the loss, until she realized that Kara was sliding her mouth down her torso to feast on newly-uncovered skin. "Kara, I may not survive this," she moaned, not unhappily. Kara smiled and continued her downward trek.

When Kara reached Cat's waist, she pushed Cat's legs up and outward, exposing her wetness. Too spent to do anything except watch, Cat moaned as Kara slowly began licking her way up wet inner thighs. When she had fully treasured Cat's legs, she moved higher, into the regions that her fingers had previously explored. She ran her tongue gently across the length of Cat's slit, then repeated the same path, slightly more forcefully, and allowed her tongue to wander. She flicked her tongue across Cat's clit, and began a light rhythm that had Cat's hips moving all over again. Kara wrapped her arms around Cat's thighs to hold her in place, and continued to stimulate Cat's clit with her tongue. She leaned in to suck gently, and began a thorough massage of Cat's center, using her lips and tongue expertly and causing Cat to emit high-pitched noises that she hadn't known she was even capable of making. Just as Cat thought she was about to pass out from the stimulation, she felt Kara's tongue enter her, and it began a steady motion that was soon joined by her fingers. Kara licked, sucked, and fucked her, causing sensations that Cat hadn't even known existed, until she came hard, her whole body shaking with the depth of her orgasm. Then Kara worked her down slowly with her expert tongue and fingers as Cat tried, in vain, to recover the use of her limbs.

"Kara," she croaked weakly. She saw the young woman look up at her and smile. "Holy shit. Where did you learn to do that?"

Kara laughed. "I did go to college, you know."

"I must have gone to the wrong school, because I don't recall ever experiencing that before."

Kara grinned happily, and reached up to kiss Cat. Cat pulled her in tightly and returned the kiss, tasting herself on Kara's tongue. She wrapped her arms securely around Kara, and deepened the kiss, running her hands down the younger woman's back. "Come here," Cat said huskily, and pulled Kara's waist upward. "I still want to taste you."

Kara smiled, and crawled up Cat's body to settle herself on top of Cat's waiting mouth. Cat worked her up expertly, using lips and tongue, and soon had Kara desperately grinding herself against Cat's face. Kara tried hard to hold herself back, but she had never experienced anything like the feel of Cat's mouth inside her. When Cat reached up to caress her breasts, she came hard, shaking and moaning as she lost control. Now Kara collapsed, unable to move while her limbs recovered. Cat maneuvered Kara into a lying position and flipped herself over so that she was being held in Kara's arms. Kara wrapped her arms tightly around Cat from behind, and the two fell asleep, exhausted.


	19. Chapter 19

Waking up in Kara's arms, with naked bodies intertwined, was a feeling that Cat fervently hoped she would repeat every morning for the rest of her life. The two had spent a night alternating between sleeping and making love, and she had never felt so rested in her entire life. Currently, she was lying on top of Kara with her head resting on the younger woman's shoulder and their arms and legs tangled together in a heap. She moved slightly, tangling her thigh between Kara's legs and sliding a hand down Kara's side to wrap underneath her, and kissed Kara's cheek softly. As the hero stirred below her, she felt a now-familiar hunger growing within her, and sighed at the knowledge that she needed to let go of Kara and get out of bed. But she wasn't quite ready to let this magical night go.

Kara pulled Cat's mouth toward her and kissed her softly. She ran hands along Cat's back, legs, and sides, igniting sparks of desire within Cat. When she slid one hand onto Cat's breast and another between her thighs, Cat gasped and decided that work could wait, after all. She focused her attention on making love to her beautiful superhero, responsibilities be damned.

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An hour later, Cat and Kara reluctantly emerged from Cat's bedroom. They had taken their time this morning, both in the bed and in the shower, and Kara knew that she would have a hard time concentrating at work today. Her first experience of shower sex had been one to remember – slick bodies sliding easily against each other, hands and water everywhere, and being pinned against the cold wall by Cat's warm body, while hands caressed her breasts and worked their magic inside of her. Just the memory of those blissful moments made Kara want to grab Cat and take her right against the wall.

Unfortunately, they needed to get to CatCo in time for Kara to work with Melissa, so that she could train the young woman on her new responsibilities. Kara was looking forward to spending the morning working with Melissa, and getting to know her outside of the crisis situation. She liked the younger woman, and hoped to see her thrive at Catco. Doing the training herself would also remind Melissa that she had a friend in the building, and that Kara was there to help. When they arrived at CatCo, Cat offered to pick up the lattes for the two of them. Kara agreed, although she wondered if the baristas would ever forgive her for sending the legendary Cat Grant in to collect their orders.

Kara had asked Melissa to meet her in front of Cat's office, and she was pleased to see the younger woman arriving just after she did. She looked carefully at Melissa, and was relieved that it looked like the woman had gotten some rest, at least. She hugged the girl tightly, and asked, "How are you doing today?"

Melissa smiled shyly. "A little better, I guess."

"Are you actually better, or just saying that?" Kara asked.

She was surprised to hear a small laugh. "No, I'm actually doing a little better. My life felt like it was falling apart yesterday, and the five of you – Supergirl, Ms. Grant, Alex, Lucy, and especially you – helped me to start to put it back together. I'll never be able to repay you for what you've done."

"You know how you can repay all of us? By taking care of yourself." Kara squeezed Melissa's shoulder. "I was so worried about you last night. I was terrified you'd go home and change your mind about everything. We all just want you to be okay. Please just know that you have friends here. You can call me anytime. You know that, right?" Kara had given the young woman her number yesterday, although she wasn't convinced Melissa would use it.

The younger woman nodded. "I put your number in my phone. Thank you, Kara. I'll do my best."

"Good." Kara smiled. "Are you ready to work today, or do you need some time off first?"

"No, I want to work." Melissa looked suddenly determined. "I want to get started. I think it will make me feel a little better about things if I know I can handle this new job."

"Okay, then, let's get going," Kara said. She spent the morning with Melissa going over CatCo's rules and policies, showing the girl to her desk, and introducing her to the department. She also made sure to have Melissa meet James and Winn, hoping that they would make the connection with the girl she'd saved yesterday and would reach out to her. They were both good friends, and Melissa could use a few more of those in her life.

Upon seeing James, Kara felt a twinge of guilt. She'd never come back to have a conversation with him after her fainting spell last Friday, and she owed him the time to work out what had happened between them. As she and Melissa were leaving his office, she stopped and asked softly, "James, can we talk sometime soon?"

He nodded, and responded, "I'd like that, Kara." She smiled at him as she left.

By lunchtime, Kara felt they'd covered all the basics. Melissa was a fast learner, and Kara was confident that she would be a help to the legal department, particularly since they'd never had a secretary before. She could see how much they needed help with clerical tasks such as scheduling, filing, and organizing cases, and she was pleased to see that Melissa seemed good at those kinds of tasks. This was going to work out after all.

She knew Cat had taken a big risk hiring a woman she knew nothing about. Cat would never admit it – she'd just point out that she had the ability to fire at will – but Kara knew that Cat would be reluctant to do that in Melissa's case, so it was a relief to see that the job seemed to fit her perfectly. It was nice when things worked out as well as you hoped they might

Alex and Lucy came by at lunchtime, carrying several pizza boxes. They ate lunch on the balcony with Melissa, Kara, and a reluctant Cat, who refused to touch the greasy fast food until she discovered that the last two pieces were going to waste. "Oh, all right," she grumbled, and pulled them onto her plate. Alex snorted with laughter, while Kara fought to hide her own smile.

While they were eating, the two agents updated them on the state of the case against Melissa's former boss. They had assembled a grand total of 18 other women (not including Melissa) who complained of sexual harassment, including six who had agreed to sleep with him to keep their jobs. Most of these women were more than happy to testify, once they learned the scope of his wrongdoing. They had turned this information over to a policeman they knew, and expected that the man would be arrested before the end of the day.

Melissa listened quietly until they were finished summarizing the information. Then she asked, "What will happen to him?"

Lucy frowned, and her lawyer instincts kicked in. "Well, he's obviously going to lose his job. After that, it depends on the particulars. It's possible he could be charged with rape or sexual assault in some of the cases, and two of the women were minors at the time, which makes things a lot worse for him. In other cases, he may face stalking or false imprisonment charges, and he also violated some of the new anti-bullying laws. He'll be going away for quite a while, even if he pleads out, which he will. The company is also liable for damages for their negligence, and that will be big. All of these women are entitled to lost wages, compensation and punitive damages. The company will settle this quickly, because they have no chance of winning in court, given the complaints that were lodged about Mr. Miller and their unwillingness to take action. This company apparently worked hard to cover up the problem." Lucy looked at Michelle. "You'll be receiving a generous severance package, I'm sure, and an offer to have your old job back."

Melissa looked at her for a moment, eyes wide. "All of these women are going to get offers like that?"

"Oh, absolutely," Lucy said. "The company is going to want this over with quickly. It's bad publicity to let this drag on."

"Wow," Melissa said. "This could actually help a lot of people." She shook her head, overwhelmed.

Alex smiled. "You did a great thing by sharing your story with us yesterday."

Kara was grinning widely. "Alex, Lucy, you two are amazing. You really should do this stuff full-time."

Alex laughed. "Nah, we're busy enough beating up the bad guys. It's a nice change of pace, though." She grinned at Melissa. "Thanks for letting us kick this guy's ass for you."

"No," Melissa said. "Thank you. I can't even begin to express how grateful I am. I don't even know what to say."

"How about you just tell us you'll try your hardest to be okay?" Lucy said gently. "I don't like the idea that we almost lost you."

Melissa smiled weakly. "I'll do my best."


	20. Chapter 20

After lunch, Melissa went downstairs to start her new job, and Kara needed to get caught up on her own. First, though, she stopped off to see James. "Hey," she said awkwardly.

"Hi Kara," James responded. "Come on in." He waved her toward a seat.

"No, it's okay," she said. "I just wanted to apologize for fainting on you last week, and for avoiding you. I've had a rough time, and it was hard for me to reach out."

"Well, that's partly my fault," James acknowledged, "because I told you I needed a little space. I wasn't fair to you. I should have been more understanding."

Kara shook her head. "I shouldn't have said those things about Lucy. I didn't mean them at all. I really like Lucy. I was just jealous."

"Well, you weren't quite yourself. It's not your fault. But we should talk about our feelings too."

"Yeah," said Kara, sighing heavily. "We should."

"Kara, I've been trying to deny this attraction between us–"

"James, wait," Kara interjected. "I'm– I'm kind of seeing someone."

"You're… what?"

Kara looked at James. "I wanted it to work out for us. You're a great guy. But then a lot of stuff happened over the last few weeks, and I started to realize how strong my feelings were for someone else. I'd been ignoring how I felt, and I couldn't do it anymore. James, I like you, but I'm not in love with you. And what's happening now – this new relationship, it feels so real. Like someone I want to spend the rest of my life with. I love her."

James had been staring at her, trying to process this new information. At the last sentence, his eyes widened. "Her?"

Kara nodded. "On Krypton, we weren't really fixated on gender preference the way humans are. I'm seeing a woman."

"Who… who is she?" James was trying frantically to keep up with this conversation. He'd gone from being ready to admit how he felt about Kara to finding out that he was too late, and that she was bisexual – or whatever the Kryptonian version of that was. And in love. It was a lot to take in.

Kara sighed, and looked down at her shoes. "It's Cat," she mumbled softly.

"Cat?!" James tried desperately, and unsuccessfully, to contain his reaction. He was angry. Not with Kara, because she was too innocent and kind to see what she was getting herself into, but with the cunning, manipulative boss who was taking advantage of Kara's sweet nature. "You're dating… Cat Grant?"

"It's not what you think, James," Kara said. "She's not taking advantage of me. It's mutual. She's helped me a lot in the last few weeks, and it just kind of developed into something more."

James shook his head. "This is a mistake, Kara, and I think you know it. I don't want to see you get hurt. This isn't about you and me, and any relationship we could have. This is me talking to you as a friend. I'm scared for you. This is going to end badly." He slammed his hand down on the desk, causing Kara to jump. "Damn it, Kara! Don't do this to yourself."

Kara looked at him, crestfallen. She needed to leave before the tears started falling. "I hoped you could be happy for me," she whispered. "I wish you could understand. This is what I want."

"No, it's not, Kara," James responded angrily. "You don't know what you want. You don't know who Cat Grant really is. You see everything through your prism of happiness and optimism, and you think you know her, but you don't. You don't know what she's going to do to you. Please, Kara, just trust me on this. You need to see this for what it really is."

"TRUST you?" Kara responded incredulously. "Why should I trust you, when you so clearly don't trust my judgment? You don't know Cat at all, and I don't think you even want to. And if you think I always see everything as bright and sunny, then you don't really know me either. I thought you were my friend. Clearly, I thought wrong."

She spun around and headed toward her desk, then changed her mind and ran for the women's bathroom, so that no one could see her fall apart. She locked the door and sank onto the floor, sobbing.

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Cat was starting to wonder where her assistant had gone. She was supposed to be back for the afternoon, but perhaps Melissa needed a little more training. She was thrilled that Kara was taking the woman under her wing. She suspected that it would be good for both of them. Kara needed to see that people depended on her for her kindness and generosity, not just her superpowers. And Melissa could obviously use a friend, and couldn't possibly find a better one than Kara.

Just then, she saw Kara return to her desk. Her eyes were red, and she looked miserable. She sank into her chair, picked up a stack of papers, and began aimlessly flipping through them.

"Kiera!" Cat saw Kara flinch, and she frowned. Had something happened with Melissa? Kara appeared in her doorway, not quite meeting her eyes. "Balcony. Go." The young woman nodded silently, and led Cat outside.

Once they were alone, Cat stepped forward, wrapped her arms around Kara, and held her tightly. They stood there in silence for a few minutes, unmoving, as Kara slowly relaxed into Cat's embrace.

Several minutes later, Cat murmured, "Better?" Kara nodded. "Good," Cat said. She kissed Kara's cheek lightly. "Now sit down and tell me what happened."

They sat together on the sofa, and Cat took Kara's hand. Kara sighed. "I talked to James. It's kind of a long story."

"Well, let's hear it, then," Cat said. "From the beginning."

Kara nodded. She talked about the crush she'd developed on James, and her jealousy at his relationship with Lucy. She described the scene at the nightclub when she'd been under the influence of Red Kryptonite, and the awful things she'd said about his ex-girlfriend. She summarized the conversation she'd had with James afterward, and his concern that she even had those kinds of thoughts inside of her.

At those comments, Cat couldn't help reacting. "He was upset that you made some mean comments while you were poisoned? What kind of person holds anyone to that high a standard?"

Kara instantly stepped in to defend her friend. "Cat, the things I said–"

Cat waved her hand to cut Kara off. "Never mind that. Keep going."

"Okay. We hadn't talked at all since that conversation, except for last week, when I fainted in his office. So I felt like we needed to clear the air. I went to talk to him after lunch. And he started telling me how he felt about me, so I cut him off and said I'm seeing someone. And I tried to explain to him how I felt, like this is something real, and so much more than what he and I could ever have, and how I'm in love. I wanted him to understand. But then I told him it was you, and he…" Kara took a deep breath, not sure how much of this Cat would want to hear. "He told me that I didn't know what I was doing, that I'm too optimistic to see what's really going on, and that I'm going to get hurt."

Cat's gaze narrowed. "He thinks I'm using you, and I'm going to destroy you."

Kara nodded miserably. "Cat… he's wrong. We both know that. It just hurts that he didn't trust me enough to believe that I know what I'm doing. And he thinks I'm so innocent and naïve, like I'm a little puppy following you around." She sighed. "He doesn't know you at all. And it really upsets me that he's not even trying to understand. He's not the man I thought he was."

Cat forced down the rising anger she felt at his accusations. She told herself not to think about all the creative ways in which she could fire the talented photographer. She knew that James was just trying to protect Kara, and she understood how their relationship would appear to someone who hadn't seen them together. His concerns came from a place of love. She needed to focus on that. "Kara, you know he's just trying to look out for you. He sees you in a relationship with your powerful, much older boss, and he's going to want to protect you."

"But he thinks I can't make this decision for myself!"

Cat nodded. "He's being overprotective. And maybe he's a little bit jealous." She looked at Kara. "Give him some time, okay? He needs a chance to process all of this."

Kara sighed, and then nodded. "Thanks, Cat."

"Come here," Cat said softly. She embraced the younger woman again, and kissed her gently. As she held onto Kara, she could feel the tension leaving the hero's body. She kissed Kara again, and looked at her closely. "Are you feeling a little bit better?"

Kara nodded.

"Good. Now get to work. I've been without my assistant all morning." She smiled at Kara.

"Yes, Ms. Grant," Kara said obediently, smiling back.


	21. Chapter 21

On Friday morning, Kara had another session with Lizzie. They talked about Kara's time with Melissa, and Lizzie was happy to see Kara embracing her role as mentor and friend. Lizzie herself had plans to talk with Melissa later in the day – Kara's request had convinced her to find time to work with the young woman. And knowing how invested Kara was in Melissa's progress, Lizzie was eager to do what she could to keep the younger woman safe.

The two women also talked about Kara's conversation with James. Kara was hurt by James's dismissal of their relationship, and by his lack of trust in her judgment. When pressed, Kara admitted that this was not the first time James had lost faith in her. She recalled that he had once called Superman to rescue her, rather than trusting Kara to handle it herself. "I know he's trying to protect me, but he needs to accept that I'm a grown woman and can make my own choices." She shook her head. "I don't know how I thought there could be something between us, if he can't treat me like an equal."

Lizzie nodded. However, the woman felt obligated to point out the obvious: What Kara had with Cat was something special. "Isn't it better the way things worked out?" she asked, smiling.

Kara smiled and nodded. "Yeah, I guess it is."

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While Kara was talking to Lizzie, James had decided to take matters into his own hands. He knocked on Cat Grant's door early that morning. Seeing him, the media mogul stiffened, and then leveled her gaze at the photographer. "May I help you?" she asked politely, though the look in her eyes made it obvious that she was not inclined to be particularly helpful.

James entered the office and closed the door. "Ms. Grant," he began, "I wanted to talk with you about Kara."

Cat knew exactly where this was heading, but she wasn't about to encourage him. She removed her glasses, and glared. "What about her?"

She's not going to make this easy for me, James thought. He sighed, and continued, "Kara talked with me yesterday. She said that she… you're dating?"

"Well, I don't see how that's any of your business. But yes, we are." She kept her glare focused on James, as if daring him to continue this conversation.

"Ms. Grant… Kara is so young, and very naïve. She sees the best in everyone. I don't think she understands what's really going on here. I just don't want to see her get hurt."

Cat stood up, and slowly crept toward James, like a feline on the prowl. She made her way across the office, stopping directly in front of him. In a low, dangerous voice, she demanded, "And what, exactly, is going on here, James?"

James sighed. "Ms. Grant, anyone can see how beautiful and amazing Kara is, and I can understand the temptation. But you take pride in doing the right thing. You can't allow this to happen. She thinks she has a future with you, and that's not fair to her."

"I see," Cat said, her voice deadly.

"I'm just trying to look out for Kara. She doesn't deserve this."

Cat stared for another minute. Finally, she asked softly, "Are you finished?"

James nodded.

"Good," Cat said, in a quiet voice filled with barely controlled fury. "Then Get. Out."

James stood there for another moment, before beginning to speak. "Ms. Grant–"

Cat's control finally snapped. "Now!" she yelled. James turned and left.

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When Kara arrived at her desk, she saw Winn signaling her desperately. "Watch out, Kara. Ms. Grant has already threatened to fire three people this morning. She's on the warpath." Kara was surprised to hear that. When she had left the house that morning – after a rather unconventional morning workout – Cat had been in an outstanding mood. She wondered what had happened to set the woman off.

"Kiera!"

Kara lifted the latte in her hand. "I guess I'll see for myself." She entered the office.

"Shut the door," Cat said quietly.

Kara frowned, and then turned to shut the door.

"James came to see me this morning," Cat continued, her quiet voice filled with fury. "He asked me to break up with you."

"He… what?" Kara asked incredulously.

"He doesn't want to see you get hurt. He thinks you see a future with me, and that's not fair to you." Cat's face was carefully devoid of any emotion.

"He… I… A future… is not fair to me?"

"Do you, Kara?"

"Um… do I what?" Kara was thoroughly overwhelmed. The world was moving too fast for her right now.

"Do you see a future with me?" Cat finally looked at her, and Kara could see that it was not just anger in her eyes. Cat was hurt, and scared.

"Cat, of course I see a future with you. I don't want to be with anyone else. I just want to be part of your life – yours and Carter's."

"Kara, you're so much younger than me. We are at different stages in life. This relationship can't possibly work in the long term."

Kara forced herself to ignore her rising panic. She thought about the fear that she'd seen on Cat's face. Cat wouldn't be afraid if she didn't still want this to work. "Cat, I don't care about the age difference, or what stage of life I'm in. I'm not even human, so nothing about this relationship is typical. I care about how I feel about you. I love you, and I don't want to be with anyone else. I'm yours, for as long as you'll have me."

Cat looked at her, and Kara could see the emotions swimming in her eyes. "Kara…" she began, worried that Kara wasn't seeing things clearly.

Kara beckoned with her hand. "Cat, come with me."

Cat looked at her quizzically, but followed Kara to the balcony. When they had turned the corner, she found herself tucked into Kara's arms. Suddenly, she was being lifted off the ground. "Kara, what–"

Her question was cut off by Kara's lips. As they ascended, Kara kissed her gently and thoroughly. In surprise, Cat looped her arms around Kara's neck, and responded automatically to the kiss.

Eventually, Kara pulled away slightly, only to rest her forehead against Cat's, her lips within inches of Cat's own. "Cat, that's how I feel about you. That's real. That's what matters to me. I love you, and nothing is going to change that. Nothing."

Cat looked into her eyes, and saw the love and determination in them. She cursed herself for second-guessing what she knew they had between them. She initiated a long, passionate kiss of her own, and Kara eagerly responded.

When they finally came up for air, Cat looked down at National City, which was spread far below. "Did you really have to bring me all the way up here to tell me that?"

Kara smiled. "It got your attention, didn't it?" She brushed a lock of hair out of Cat's eyes. "I thought we needed a few minutes alone. I wanted you to listen to me."

Cat smiled. "I love you, Kara."

"I love you too, Cat," Kara said, grinning widely.

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Late that afternoon, Kara was shocked to see Lucy step off the elevator at CatCo. As she stood up to greet her friend, Kara noticed that Lucy looked focused and angry. "Lucy?" she said in greeting. "Are you okay?"

Lucy shook her head and kept walking. "I'm here to see James. Don't get in my way."

"O… okay?"

Lucy stepped into James's office and slammed the door.

"Um," James said. "Lucy. Hi."

She stepped forward and smacked James on the chest. "How DARE you! Who the hell do you think you are, telling Cat what to do?" Alex had filled her in briefly, after talking with Kara earlier in the day. She was furious.

James sighed. "Lucy, I was just trying to look out for Kara."

"Look out for Kara." Lucy repeated. She stared at him, hardly believing what she was hearing. "Look out for Kara? Where the hell have you been for the last three weeks? NOW you try to help her?"

"For the last three… Lucy, what are you talking about? Kara and I had a disagreement, and we talked it over yesterday. We're okay."

"You still think this is all about you," Lucy said, shaking her head. "James, have you seen Kara lately? Have you seen Supergirl?"

"No, I, uh… Kara said she was sick from the Kryptonite for a week or so, and then everything was back to normal, right?"

"You really have no idea. James, while you were off sulking because of whatever awful things Kara said to you about me, she nearly died. Twice. One of those was an attempt to take her own life." James stared at Lucy in shock, his eyes wide. "And you know who was there for her, while you weren't? Alex, and Cat Grant. That's it. And whatever she said about me, I deserved it, because I was awful to her too. If it hadn't been for Alex and Cat, she'd be gone right now."

"Lucy, what did she–"

Lucy held up her hand. "Don't bother. I'm only telling you enough to make you understand. If you want more details, you'll have to ask Kara. If she'll even talk to you."

James closed his eyes and nodded sadly.

"So back off, James. Don't think you know what's going on here, and don't you dare judge Cat for what's happened." Her voice softened. "What the two of them have… James, it's what I hoped we would have one day. It's real."

She turned and opened the door. "I mean it. Stay away from them." She slammed the door shut and walked out.

Twenty minutes later, James arrived at Kara's desk. "Kara, would it be possible for me to talk with you and Ms. Grant? Together?"

Kara glared at him. "Haven't you done enough talking already?"

"Please, Kara. Give me a chance."

Kara glanced at Cat, who was already standing up. She had been about to come out of her office and throw James out of the building. How dare he even try to talk to Kara right now? She was surprised to see Kara and James stepping into her office. She leveled her fiercest glare at James. "This," she said dangerously, "had better be good."

"I came to apologize," James said. Neither woman spoke, so he continued. "I thought I knew what was going on. I thought I knew a lot of things, and clearly I was wrong. I just wanted to say that I'm sorry for what I said."

Cat simply continued to glare at him. Kara nodded in acknowledgement. "You were wrong, James," she said quietly. "I hope you realize that."

James nodded. "I'll leave you two alone. I just wanted to say that I'm sorry. I hope you'll forgive me." He left the room.


	22. Chapter 22

Kara opened her eyes Saturday morning to the familiar, but still amazing, feeling of Cat Grant snuggled in her arms. She sighed happily. How did she get so lucky? The gorgeous, sexy, glamorous media mogul was all hers. She would never tire of exploring every inch of that soft skin and kissing those beautiful lips. In fact, she should probably take advantage of the opportunity right now.

Kara turned her head to kiss those inviting lips, smiling. "Mmmm," Cat sighed, eagerly returning the kiss, and they pulled each other closer. She and Cat had nowhere to be today. They could spend the entire day in bed. She was sure they could find ways to use the time effectively. Kara was tempted to lose herself in the feel of Cat. But she had an even better idea.

"Come on, Cat. Let's get up. I want to show you something."

"Why would I want to get up, when you're right here?" Cat murmured sleepily.

Kara forced herself to remain focused. She squeezed Cat tightly, and then quickly got up, before she changed her mind. "Come on. I promise it'll be worth it."

Cat sighed, and rolled out of bed. "All right, Supergirl. Lead the way."

They took a shower – together; Kara wasn't in THAT much of a rush – and got dressed. When they were ready, Kara led Cat out to the balcony, wrapped her arms around the other woman, and took off.

They flew south along the coast until they reached a small resort that had been built upon cliffs alongside the ocean. Kara flew toward a small house that was set apart from the others, separated by trees and a few jagged paths. "What is this place?" Cat asked curiously. "It's gorgeous."

"Well, I guess you could say it's my beach house," Kara said, slightly embarrassed. "The owner of this resort was having some trouble maintaining the buildings. Erosion in the cliffs was putting them in jeopardy of collapsing, and he didn't know what to do. So I helped him fortify the buildings and solidify the structures, added some big rocks and stuff. He was really grateful, and built me this house to use anytime I want." Kara rushed to explain, "I told him I didn't need anything, but he insisted. I feel bad, because I don't use it that often, but he keeps it maintained and clean anyway. It's kind of a waste–"

Cat cut her off with a kiss. "Kara, it's amazing. You're amazing."

Kara shrugged, embarrassed. She landed on the balcony, and opened the door. "You're the first person I've ever brought here. It's kind of my private sanctuary."

Cat explored the lush accommodations. There were two bedrooms, each with king-sized beds. The living room was bright and comfortable, and there was a well-stocked kitchen, as well as a spacious bathroom. In addition, there was a jacuzzi situated on the balcony, which featured a stunning view of the ocean.

On the living room table was an overflowing fruit basket, along with a card. Cat picked up the note. "Welcome back, Supergirl. Please let me know if you need anything at all!"

Kara shook her head at the extravagance. "He likes me to tell him when I'm coming. I hate doing it, because then he comes in with fresh fruit and stuff, but he insists that things have to be perfect."

Cat turned to her slightly flushed superhero. She pulled Kara close, and kissed her gently. "Thank you for showing me this." She could see that this was Kara's private space, and she felt honored to be allowed to see it.

Kara shrugged. "It's yours now too, Cat. Everything that's mine is yours."

Cat pulled Kara toward the master bedroom. She was determined to fully explore the most beautiful sight in the room. Everything else could wait.

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A couple of hours later, the two women lay tangled together on the bed, thoroughly spent. "You know, the waves here are really amazing," Kara said. "Have you ever been surfing?"

"Surfing? I barely got past swimming."

"Do you want to try it? I can take you."

"Are you sure that's safe?" Cat asked nervously. Kara just looked at her. "I guess that's a dumb question, Supergirl," she admitted.

Kara laughed. "Cat, it's not like I even surf, really. I just kind of balance on top of the board and hover. It's pretty fun, though. Come on. I promise I won't drop you." She picked up the bag she'd brought along, and pulled out bathing suits that she'd brought for Cat and herself.

Cat raised an eyebrow. "I see you picked out my most revealing bikini."

Kara laughed. "I'm not stupid. When I get the chance to see you in a bikini… well, let's just say I plan to take advantage."

"I can't wait," Cat said, eyeing Kara's own slightly more modest bikini.

"Okay, let's go," Kara proclaimed, needing to move quickly before she forgot why she even wanted to leave the bedroom. She grabbed a surfboard and some towels out of the closet, pulled Cat out to the balcony, and took off with the older woman in her arms. She landed them on a secluded section of beach. "Don't worry, Cat; this beach is reserved for me too," she admitted. She put down the towels, then looked at Cat. "Ready?"

Cat nodded, a little nervous, but willing to trust the superhero completely. "Let's go."

Kara beckoned Cat forward, and dove into the water, holding the surfboard. She pulled Cat onto the board, and then joined her and pushed them out to see. Once they reached a deep enough spot, Kara pointed to a wave. "You up for this?" she asked, just to make sure.

"With you? Always."

As the wave came upon them, Kara paddled them into the crest, and then carefully lifted Cat to a standing position in front of her. Kara held her tightly, maneuvering them along the wave, while Cat got to experience the exhilarating sensation of speeding along the water, held up by the surfboard and Kara's strong, comforting arms. When the wave finally broke and Kara released them to splash into the ocean, Cat released a breathless laugh. She caught Kara's shoulders, and pulled her close for a kiss. "Kara, that was amazing. Thank you."

"Isn't it fun?" Kara responded, eyes dancing with delight. "Want to go again?"

"More than anything," Cat said, smiling.

They spent half an hour riding waves, before the two women finally tired of the experience. They followed that up by taking a shower to rinse off the salt and sand – together, again – and were just about to get dressed and look in the kitchen for some lunch when Kara's phone rang. Kara tried to ignore it, but after a couple of rings, Cat said, "You should probably answer your phone." Kara made a face and sighed.

Cat laughed, and picked up the phone herself. "Hi Lucy. Is everything okay?"

"Cat, Alex is hurt." Kara looked up, panicked. "She's okay, but I thought Kara would want to know."

Cat caught Kara's hand before Kara could take off without her. "What's wrong?"

"She has what the doctors are calling a 'mild' brain injury, as well as a sprained ankle. They're being really careful because of the swelling in her brain, but the doctors say she's going to make a full recovery."

"We'll be there as soon as we can." Cat hung up the phone. "Kara, it's okay. She's going to be okay." Her words did little to ease the panic she saw on Kara's face. She touched Kara's cheek. "Get dressed. I'll grab you some snacks before we leave. You're going to need to eat something." Kara nodded, too overwhelmed to do anything other than follow orders right now.

Five minutes later, the two women were ready to go. Kara pulled Cat toward her, and took off. Cat noticed that they flew at a significantly higher speed this time. After a three-minute journey, they arrived at the DEO and saw Lucy waiting for them.

"Lucy, where is she? What happened?"

"There was a power outage, and the backup systems malfunctioned. Several of the DEO prisoners escaped. Alex was injured capturing one of the Kryptonians." Lucy held out her hand. "Come on. Let's go see her."

The three women headed over to the treatment room. They saw a number of doctors crowded around Alex's bed, murmuring as they looked at her with concern. Alex looked pale, bruised, and lifeless. Kara's stomach clenched at the sight. She heard the words "excessive swelling in the brain" and paled.

Lucy went in to get an update, and returned with the news that Alex was recovering as expected. They were keeping her sedated until the brain swelling went down, but they didn't anticipate any long-term issues. The sprained ankle would heal quickly.

'You can go in there, Kara, but she won't be awake for hours." Kara nodded, and immediately went to be at her sister's side. Lucy found a chair and brought it in, and Kara sat down and held Alex's hand tightly.

Lucy went back out to talk with Cat. She said softly, "I don't want Kara to blame herself, but I'm afraid she's going to. Alex refused to let me call Kara for help. She said Kara wanted to spend the whole day with you, and she didn't want to interfere with that."

Cat closed her eyes. "She's going to take this really hard."

Lucy shook her head. "She always thinks it's her job to save everyone." She looked at Cat. "I'm glad you're here. She's going to need you."

Cat nodded. Then she focused on the woman next to her. "Lucy, how are you doing?"

"I'm– I wasn't injured, Cat. I'm fine."

"I meant in terms of Alex." Cat looked closely at her. "You care about her."

"Well, yeah. I work with her. I'm in charge, and I don't like seeing anyone get hurt."

"That's not what I mean, Lucy, and you know it."

Lucy sighed. "Of course I care about her. She's amazing, and beautiful, and selfless, and she'll never see me as anything other than a colleague and a friend of Kara's." She smiled wryly. "At least she doesn't hate me anymore, right?"

Cat wrapped Lucy in a tight hug. "I think she sees a lot more in you than that. But you know Alex. She never thinks about herself or her feelings. She won't figure it out until it smacks her in the face." Cat winced at her choice of words, considering Alex's current injuries.

Lucy laughed weakly. "Well, she got quite a smack, so I guess there's hope." She grabbed Cat's hand, and pulled her forward. "Come on. I'll grab some more chairs, and we can keep Kara company."

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As soon as she pulled up a chair next to Kara, Cat grabbed her free hand. "Are you okay, Kara?" she asked gently.

"I should've been there," Kara said softly. "I should've protected her."

Cat shook her head. "Oh, Kara, no. Don't do that. You can't save everyone all the time."

"But I told her I wanted the day with you. I told her not to call me unless she really needed me. It's my fault." Kara lowered her head miserably onto Alex's chest. "I almost got her killed," she whispered miserably.

Lucy said urgently, "Kara, Alex knows the risks. She knows what she can handle, and she chose to put herself in that situation. You can't take responsibility for other people's choices. Don't do that to yourself."

"I guess," said Kara sadly. Lucy and Cat exchanged a look. They would have to keep working on it. For now, Cat pulled her chair closer to Kara, wrapped her arms around the superhero, and held her close.

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By late afternoon, the swelling in Alex's brain had decreased, and the doctors felt comfortable decreasing the sedative dosage. When Alex finally stirred, Kara was by her side. Alex opened her eyes, and forced herself to ignore the nearly-blinding pain in her head. She smiled weakly at Kara. "Hey, baby sis," she said quietly. Then she frowned. "What are you doing here? You had big plans with Cat today."

"Plans change," Cat said, squeezing Alex's hand from her spot next to Kara. "Kara's sister was injured, and no one is more important to Kara."

"My head?" Alex guessed, feeling the throbbing ache. "And…" She frowned, noticing a pain in her ankle as well. "My foot?"

"You had some swelling in your brain," Lucy explained. "You've got quite a concussion. And you have a sprained ankle. How's the pain? We can give you some medication to help."

"No." Alex shook her head. "No pain meds. I don't want to be loopy."

"Alex," Lucy said, standing up and brushing hair away from Alex's forehead. "Let the doctors give you something. You shouldn't be in pain." Suddenly feeling awkward, she pulled her hand away.

Alex reached out to grab her hand, and squeezed it. "Did you get them all?"

"Yeah, we did. You nailed the guy just before you went down."

Alex smiled. "Good," she said, and squeezed Lucy's hand again before letting go.

"Sleep, Alex. We'll try to get you released in the morning, okay?" Lucy had to force herself not to reach for Alex's hand again.

"Okay," Alex said sleepily, closing her eyes.

Kara stared between the two women, as if trying to decipher what she'd just seen. Cat smiled at the expression on Kara's face. She looked at Lucy, and said, "I think maybe that smack on the head did her some good."


	23. Chapter 23

The next morning, Alex had progressed to the point where doctors were comfortable releasing her. However, she wasn't going to be allowed to stay by herself. They all agreed that Cat's apartment would be the best place for her. After glancing at Lucy's face, Cat announced that she'd feel more comfortable if Lucy came as well.

Kara brought Alex into the guest room and laid her gently on the bed. Alex was still pretty groggy, waking for a short time every few hours, and she was clearly in a great deal of pain. She refused to take any pain meds, however. Lucy had argued with her briefly about it, but got nowhere.

Kara sat down on the edge of the bed after tucking Alex in. "Is there anything else I can get you, Alex? Something to eat? Some water?" She refrained from asking if she could give Alex something for the pain.

"Kara, I'm fine. Go get some sleep, or do something with Cat."

Kara shook her head. "I'm not leaving you alone." She had spent the night glued to Alex's side. Lucy and Cat had been unable to convince her to take a nap in the barracks, although the other two women had managed a few hours of sleep themselves.

Alex sighed. "Kara, I'm fine. I'm just going to be sleeping anyway. Please, you need to take care of yourself too."

"I'm fine," Kara said firmly.

Seeing that Kara had no intention of budging, Alex slid over on the bed. "Fine, then get over here already. If you're not going to sleep by yourself, then you're going to sleep here with me."

"Okay," Kara said quietly. She gingerly climbed into the bed.

When Cat and Lucy came to check on them twenty minutes later, both women were fast asleep. Kara was curled into Alex's side, and Alex's arm was wrapped around Kara's shoulders. It was an adorable sight, and Lucy couldn't suppress a smile. Cat looked at them, and shook her head. "Even when she's barely conscious, Alex can't help taking care of Kara."

Lucy sighed. "They both take on so much, and handle it with such grace. They're both incredible women."

"They are," Cat said quietly. "Kara inspires me every single day. Her kindness and strength, always seeing the best in people – it's changed me. Sometimes it terrifies me, because I want her to be safe, but it's what makes her who she is, and I would never want her to change. And Alex – she's the inspiration for everything that Kara does. How can anyone shoulder that kind of responsibility?"

Cat and Lucy walked back to the living room so they wouldn't disturb the sleeping sisters. Cat continued, "You know, the only reason that Kara let me in is because Alex trusted me. Without her, none of this would have happened. How can I ever repay her for everything she's done?"

Lucy shook her head. "You know she wouldn't want you to repay anything. That's just Alex. She always does the right thing for Kara. And I know how happy she is that the two of you found each other."

"I know. But it doesn't make me any less grateful to her."

"Well, you're really good for Kara. She'll see that as payment enough."

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James was determined to do the right thing. That's why, after a day and a half of pacing and staring at Kara's phone number, he finally called the one person he knew could fix anything. Kara had nearly taken her own life. The thought of that terrified James. He hadn't been there for Kara, and he'd nearly lost her as a result. If Kara was in trouble, than her cousin needed to know about it. Superman would know exactly what to do.

He saw the familiar red and blue outfit landing on his balcony, and breathed a sigh of relief. He opened the door and grabbed Clark in a bro-hug.

"Hey, Jimmy, what's up?" the hero asked.

"Clark, I need to tell you something. It's about Kara." He led Superman inside, and filled him in on what he'd heard.

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When the doorbell rang early Sunday afternoon, Cat frowned. Carter was not due back until after dinner. She went to the door, glanced in the peephole, and was surprised to see, of all people, Clark Kent. What was Clark doing here? She hadn't seen him in years. And was he here with… No, thank God, he appeared to be alone. Did something happen to Lois? As much as she despised the old hag, she didn't want to see her hurt.

Cat sighed and opened the door. "Clark. This is certainly a surprise. What brings you to National City?"

"Cat, Jimmy said I might find Kara here. Is she around?"

Cat's head was spinning. Clark knew Kara?

Just then, Lucy stepped around the corner. "Clark! What are you doing here?" She looked around nervously. "Where's Lois?"

Both Lucy and Cat breathed a sigh of relief when Clark said that Lois wasn't coming. "I'm here looking for Kara, Lucy."

"Clark, she's sleeping," Lucy responded. "I don't really think we should wake her up right now. What's going on?"

Cat noticed Lucy was unsurprised that Clark knew Kara. She wondered what, exactly, she was missing. What was the connection between them?

Clark sighed. "I'm going to need to talk to her. Jimmy told me some things that have me really worried."

"Damn it!" Lucy said. "I KNEW he would do something stupid. Cat, this is all my fault." Ever since she had spoken to James on Friday, Lucy had wished she could take back some of the information she'd revealed. She'd just been so mad at him for acting selfishly, and he'd been so clueless about Kara's feelings, that she blurted out the news of Kara's suicide attempt. And apparently James had decided to call in the man he thought could fix anything.

Cat couldn't take it anymore. "Can someone please explain to me how Clark even knows who Kara is?"

Lucy and Clark looked at her in surprise. Then Lucy raised an eyebrow. "Oh boy, is Lois going to hate this."

Clark sighed. "Probably easiest just to show you." He did the spin move that Cat had begun to associate with Kara, and suddenly Superman was standing in her living room. "Kara's my cousin, Cat."

Cat stood there, speechless, for a long moment. Then she shook her head. "I can't believe I didn't figure it out. How did I miss that? And what's with the red underpants? Who dressed you?" Clark turned beet red. "Ah, now I see the family resemblance," Cat said, smirking. Lucy coughed to stifle a giggle.

Superman changed back into Clark. "Can we talk about Kara now?"

Lucy shook her head. "Clark, I don't know exactly what James told you, but he has no right to spread Kara's secrets. If Kara wants you to know what's going on, she knows how to reach you."

"But Lucy, he said she tried to kill–" Cat's eyes widened in surprise.

"Kal?" The three of them spun around to see a sleepy Kara Danvers standing in the hallway.

"Kara!" Clark smiled widely, and Kara rushed into his arms, matching his smile with an equally wide one of her own. They shared a hug that only two Kryptonians could endure, and Clark lifted Kara off the ground briefly in his delight at seeing her.

Lucy and Cat stood there uncertainly, anticipating the awkward conversation that was to follow. Cat was starting to put the pieces together. Somehow, James had known about Kara's suicide attempt. And Lucy seemed to be the source of that information. She needed some answers.

Lucy, meanwhile, wished that she could somehow pull Kara aside and warn her about what Clark apparently knew, but it was too late for that. Meanwhile, Kara was gushing. "Kal, I've missed you so much! It's been way too long. What are you doing here? Oh, it's SO good to see you!"

"Kara, we need to talk," Clark said gravely. Kara frowned. That didn't sound good.

Lucy interjected, "Actually, the four of us should talk." She wasn't leaving Kara alone to be blindsided. And she wanted a chance to explain herself. "Come sit down, Clark."

Clark protested briefly, but could see by the looks in Lucy's and Cat's eyes that neither woman was budging. "Okay," he said reluctantly, and allowed himself to be led to the couch.

Lucy started talking before Clark had a chance to speak. "Kara, before Clark says anything, I need to tell you something."

"Okay…?" Kara said, bewildered by this whole conversation.

"Kara, you know I talked with James on Friday." Kara nodded.

Cat interjected, "Wait, when was this?"

"Um..." Lucy frowned. "It was sometime in the late afternoon."

"Well, that makes sense. Apparently you got through to him, because he came to us afterward to apologize."

Lucy nodded. "Good. That's the least he could have done, after what he said." She paused. "Anyway… when I talked to James, I was angry, and I probably said more than I should have. And apparently James can't keep his mouth shut either, and that's why Clark is here."

Kara looked between Lucy and Clark, trying to decipher Lucy's words. "What did you tell him?"

"I said something about how while he was off sulking and being a jerk, you had nearly died, twice. And then I told him that one of those was a suicide attempt. Kara, I'm sorry. I wish I could take it back, but I can't."

Kara paled. She was Kal's older cousin. She had been sent to look after him. And now here he was, trying to save her from herself. She stood up suddenly, and backed away. "Kal, we're not talking about this. I'm fine."

Clark stood up too. "No, Kara, you're obviously not fine," he responded. "Did something happen? Did you get beaten by something? Do you need my help?"

Kara shook her head, and tried to speak, but he cut her off.

"Was it because of the Red K? Do you feel like there's too much pressure? Kara, no one's forcing you to be a superhero. You don't have to do this. They survived before you, and they can survive without you in the future. The most important thing is that you're safe. Tell me what to do. Tell me what happened."

"Clark, stop." Cat's authoritative voice finally brought Clark's questions to a halt. "You can't just show up here and demand that Kara tell you everything that's wrong with her. That's not how life works." She softened her voice. "I know you're just trying to help, but you need to step back and let Kara decide what she needs. She went through a rough time, but she's an incredibly strong woman – the strongest person I've ever met." She paused and gazed at Kara with tenderness, willing her to read the sincerity in Cat's eyes. "She's figuring things out for herself. And if you want to be a friend, then you'll respect that."

Clark sank back into the sofa. "You're right. Kara, I'm sorry. I'm used to beating up the bad guys. It's hard for me not to know how to help."

Kara was still pacing anxiously. "Kal, you're my baby cousin." At those words, both Cat and Lucy looked up in surprise. But now was not the time to ask questions. Kara continued, "I was supposed to be looking after you, remember? So when I lost more than two decades" – another look of shock passed between the two women – "in the Phantom Zone, it was bad enough that I wasn't here for you. You're not going to take care of me. I may never be the superhero that you are, but I can handle things on my own."

"Whoa, hold on just a minute," Alex said. They'd been so wrapped up in their conversation that no one had seen her limp into the doorway.

"Alex!" Lucy said. She jumped up and led the woman to sit on the couch. "What are you even doing out of bed? You need to rest!" she said angrily.

"You were all making so much noise that I had to come find out what was going on. And I'm glad I did, because I have a few things to say." She looked at Kara intently. "First of all, you know how I feel about the whole 'taking care of my cousin' thing. No parents tell their twelve-year-old daughter that it's their job to raise a child. Your parents told you that to give you a purpose, to get you started on this planet. They just wanted to help you get over the trauma of moving thousands of light years away. And the way things worked out was pretty amazing. I got the world's greatest sister, and I will always be grateful for that."

She leaned forward. "Kara, you have gifts that Clark will never have. You are not a lesser superhero. You're a very different one, and equally amazing. But you know what your greatest gift is?" She looked at Kara, urging her younger sister to understand what she was saying. "You know how to bring people together. You know how to give them hope, and to inspire them to help each other. Superman works alone, but you work with the whole human race."

She took a deep breath, ignoring the throbbing pain in her temples. "El Mayara, Kara. Stronger together. Don't shut Clark out. Let him be there for you too, just like we are."

Tears were streaming down Kara's face. She rushed over to Alex, and grabbed her in a hug before remembering that Alex was probably a little bit fragile right now, and loosening her grip. Alex just smiled and tightened her embrace.

Cat looked at Alex thoughtfully. "Alex, right now I think you're the greatest hero of all."

Kara laughed. "She always is."


	24. Chapter 24

Clark stayed through dinner. Kara was so thrilled to see him that she allowed Alex to sleep on her own for a while. Cat and Lucy both considered him the only redeeming thing about Lois, so they were also happy to spend time with him. When Carter came home, Clark was still there. Kara introduced him as her cousin, and Carter instantly made the connection. "You're Superman!" he exclaimed.

Everyone in the room started to object, but Cat just held up her hand. "Don't bother. He knows everyone's secrets. There's no fooling this one." Carter grinned. "And speaking of secrets," Cat continued, looking at Kara, "there's something I've been wondering about all afternoon. How is Clark your baby cousin? Isn't he older than you?"

"Oh," Kara said. "Well, he was just a baby when he left Krypton. My parents sent me to look after him on Earth. But I left a little bit after he did, and when Krypton exploded, my pod's course got disrupted. I was knocked into the Phantom Zone."

"The what?" said Carter, staring in fascination.

"The Phantom Zone is a place where time doesn't pass and nothing escapes. I was stuck there for twenty-four years."

"Twenty-four years?" repeated Lucy in horror. "All by yourself?"

Kara shrugged. "I slept for a lot of it." She didn't want to think about those awful years, moments of lucidity mixed with the haze of dreamless sleep and nightmares of her world exploding, over and over again. "Anyway, somehow my ship escaped, but by that time, Kal El was all grown up. I didn't have a mission anymore, so I tried to grow up like a normal human, with Alex's help. I didn't think this planet really needed me. They already had a superhero."

"So what changed?" Lucy asked. "Why did you suddenly come out as Supergirl?"

"Alex's plane was in trouble," volunteered Kara.

"Oh! Alex was on that plane," Cat mused. "Well, of course you would have to help. It all makes sense now."

Just then, Clark and Kara tensed. "What's wrong?" Lucy asked quietly.

"There's a fire," Clark said.

"National City Hospital," added Kara.

The two heroes spun in unison, and took off.

"That was so cool!" Carter said. Lucy was forced to agree. Watching Clark and Kara take off together was a pretty awesome sight.

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When Kara and Clark touched down in front of National City Hospital, fire trucks were just starting to arrive. Mouths fell open at the sight of not one, but two superheroes. They scanned the building, noting that the fire had engulfed much of the north side. Clark turned to Kara. "Rescue people first, and then freeze breath?"

Kara nodded. "Yeah. I'm afraid we'd blow the fire around too much with people in there. Let's work from the bottom up, okay?"

"You got it, Supergirl."

They flew toward the ground floor, and began searching for victims. Using small gusts of freeze breath, they cleared paths for visitors, employees, and the more mobile patients to exit the building. Then they began working their way through hospital rooms, pulling people out of beds and onto gurneys that were set up outside or in other parts of the hospital. As they worked their way toward the upper floors, they found patients who were attached to monitors and life-saving machines. The superheroes did their best to keep things hooked up, often working in tandem to carry a patient along with his or her equipment, or using extension cords and clearing the hallway. It was slower progress than they would've liked, but they couldn't take any chances.

When they reached the top floor, they found a ward full of newborn babies. Kara gasped at the sight of so many tiny, adorable humans. Fortunately, the flames were barely starting to creep in, but the screaming babies seemed well aware of the dangers facing them. Once again, they had to work together to collect all of the necessary equipment, along with these young patients. When they had finally dropped off the last two newborns, Kara breathed a huge sigh of relief. "I think that's everyone," she said wearily. "Now let's put out this fire."

Clark nodded, and the two of them surrounded the flames and began to blow their hardest. They slowly cooled the building until the flames were extinguished, leaving a smoky, burnt section of the hospital. They scanned it thoroughly for any remaining danger spots, then sank to the ground in relief and exhaustion.

Reporters seized the opportunity to surround the two heroes. "Superman! What brought you to National City? How did it feel to work together on this rescue? Will we be seeing this more often?"

Clark held up a hand, and the reporters went silent. "I was here visiting Supergirl. When we heard the sirens, we both came to help. I was happy to have the chance to work with such an amazing woman."

Kara chimed in. "We're very lucky that Superman was available to help. But the most important thing right now is keeping all of these people safe." She stepped over and wrapped him in a hug. "Thank you for helping," she murmured, just loud enough for him to hear. I couldn't have done this without you."

Clark responded, just as quietly, "Actually, you would've been just fine. But I'm glad we had a chance to work together. We make a good team. Take care of yourself." He smiled and took off.

Kara smiled, waved to the reporters, and took off as well.

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When Kara landed on Cat's balcony, she heard an irate Cat Grant saying, "What do you mean, you weren't there? James, I pay you an awful lot of money to take pictures. That hug was the photo opportunity of the year. You'd better get your act together, or start packing."

Kara stepped inside, smiling. "Cat, don't you think you're being a little hard on James?"

Cat turned to the superhero. "The hell I am! I'm going to make his life a living hell. That was nothing."

Kara wasn't particularly inclined to argue. Sure, James's actions had worked out okay, but that didn't make them right. He had said some things that really hurt Cat, and that earned him a little payback, in Kara's mind. She would give it at least a day or two before convincing Cat to lighten up. She smiled and stepped forward to kiss Cat.

"Oh, no," Cat responded. "Don't you dare. You've just come into contact with every disease in the hospital. Go shower first."

Kara laughed, and went to shower.

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Just before bedtime, Lucy pulled Kara aside. "Kara, I just wanted to apologize–"

"No, Lucy. You don't need to apologize. You said what you did because you care about me. And it brought my cousin here to see me, which was awesome. Sometimes I forget how much I need my family and friends in my life. All of them. Including you." She grabbed Lucy's hand and held it. "Lucy, before all of this happened I thought of you as a friend. But now you've become one of my best friends, and someone that I can trust with anything. This has brought us together, and I'll always be grateful for it." She hugged Lucy tightly.

Lucy smiled and hugged back, thanking the heavens for whoever had brought Kara Danvers into her life.

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Kara headed back to Alex's room. She had left her sister alone to spend time with Clark and to rescue the hospital patients, but nothing was going to keep her from Alex's room tonight. She entered the room, and saw Alex sitting up and talking to Cat. Both women smiled at Kara as she entered.

"Hey," Alex said warmly. "I hear you and Superman caused quite a stir."

Kara smiled. "It was fun. It was nice to work as a team."

Alex nodded. "You know, Kara, I meant what I said earlier. You're just as amazing a superhero as he is. The two of you are just very different, but that doesn't make one of you better. You need to give yourself more credit."

"Thanks, Alex," Kara said shyly. She wasn't going to bring up the fact that she'd been missing in action when Alex needed her most. Alex didn't need to hear about Kara's shortcomings right now.

Both women could see by the look in Kara's eyes that she didn't quite believe that. But Kara didn't address it, so they both let it go, for now. Alex smiled at Kara. "Are you sleeping with me tonight?" At Kara's eager nod, she smiled at Cat. "Sorry to take your girlfriend away."

"I'd offer to stay here too, but I don't know how I feel about three to a bed. I'll just sleep with Lucy instead. She's pretty hot."

"Hey!" Kara responded, pouting.

Alex laughed. "I want every detail in the morning."


	25. Chapter 25

On Monday morning, Cat, Kara, and Carter left for work and school, while Lucy stayed with Alex. "I'm fine," grumbled the reluctant agent, but Lucy just ignored her and left a breakfast tray next to her bed. "I mean it, Lucy. Go to work."

Lucy sat down on the side of the bed. "Alex, how do you think Kara would react if I left you here alone? She already feels guilty for not being there, like it's her fault you got hurt. If I wasn't here, she'd be sitting here instead. So be grateful that it's just me. At least I don't make you share the bed."

"I wouldn't mind that," Alex mumbled quietly.

"What?" asked Lucy, certain she'd heard wrong.

"I just, um, I mean it's kind of comforting having her here with me. She's my sister."

"Oh," responded Lucy softly, and Alex detected a twinge of disappointment in Lucy's voice. Interesting, she thought. She'd ignored her own crush on Lucy for quite a while, because it never seemed appropriate. I mean, Lucy was sort of Alex's boss, even though she always made sure to treat Alex as an equal. And she was straight. Or was she? Alex thought about the look she'd seen on Lucy's face as the woman had brushed hair out of Alex's eyes in the treatment room. Interesting.

Alex tentatively reached her hand out to grasp Lucy's, and heard her breath catch. "It would be much worse if I shared the bed with you."

"Worse?" Lucy actually looked upset, and Alex grinned.

"Yeah. It would be hard to sleep with you so close to me. I'd be too distracted."

Lucy smiled widely. "Oh! Well, I was going to offer to stay, but I wouldn't want to distract you."

Alex tugged lightly on her hand. "I don't actually mind," she said softly.

"Well then, move over," Lucy responded, smiling gently.

Alex slid toward the side of the bed, and Lucy settled in next to her. She slid one arm underneath Alex's shoulders, wrapped the other around her torso, and pulled her closer so that Alex's head was resting on her shoulder. "Is this okay?" Lucy asked softly.

"It's perfect," Alex said, smiling.

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Kara had agreed to meet Lizzie at CatCo this week, since the counselor was also spending time with Melissa. She had reserved a conference room, but Cat encouraged them to use her private balcony instead. "The sunlight will do you good, Kara."

Kara nodded gratefully, and the two headed outside. She spent time talking with Lizzie about the latest developments with James, and how his meddling had actually worked out well because she got to spend time with her cousin. Lizzie also encouraged her to talk about Alex's injury. Kara was reluctant to discuss it, because she still felt guilty for not being there. Lizzie reminded her that Alex was a trained agent, and would never have put herself in a situation she didn't think she could handle. Sometimes, injuries just happened. But Kara knew that if she hadn't told Alex she wanted the day off, her sister would've called for help. And if she'd been there, Alex's injury wouldn't have happened. That was hard to accept. She'd just have to do better the next time.

Lizzie could tell that Kara was still struggling with Alex's injury, and it worried her. A superhero who tried to overcompensate for past mistakes was a reckless one. She cautioned Kara not to take on too much, but she suspected that her words had fallen on deaf ears. "Please be safe, Kara," she urged as the younger woman got up to leave.

Kara smiled. "See you Wednesday, Lizzie."

As Lizzie waited on the balcony for Melissa to arrive, Cat joined her for a moment. The two exchanged pleasantries, and Cat asked if she could get the woman a drink or a snack, but Lizzie shook her head. She knew that Cat was out here to check on Kara. Eventually, Cat got to the point. "Lizzie, Kara seems like she's blaming herself for Alex's injury. I'm worried."

Lizzie looked at her. She wasn't going to reveal what Kara had said, but from the sounds of things, Cat already knew. She asked, "What worries you most?"

Cat sighed. "I just don't want to see her take on too much. I worry that she'll be afraid to take a day off, or to let Alex do anything by herself. She's going to think she always has to protect everyone, even more than she normally does."

Lizzie nodded. "Then you need to talk to her about it. And it's probably even more important that Alex talk to her. She needs Alex to tell her that it wasn't her fault, probably more than once."

Cat nodded, and then stood up. "Thanks for listening to me, Lizzie." She smiled. "I'll let Melissa come out here now. I made her wait her turn."

Lizzie smiled. "Good to see you again, Cat."

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At noon, Lucy was still holding Alex when her phone rang. She reached over and grabbed it. "Yeah? Okay, got it." She sighed. She needed to make a couple of phone calls, and didn't want to keep Alex awake. "Alex, I have to go for a few minutes. I'll be back soon." She smiled when Alex murmured sleepily, and placed a kiss on the agent's cheek before getting leaving.

She dialed Kara as she walked through the hallway. "Hey Supergirl. There's a Greyhound bus that crashed on the highway and fell into a ravine. Rescuers can't get to it. Vasquez will send you the location."

"On my way, Lucy." Kara hung up the phone and sighed. This one didn't sound good at all. She made eye contact with Cat, who nodded slightly, and then took off.

When she arrived, her heart sank at the sight of the bus. It was lying on its side at the bottom of a small ravine, having presumably rolled down the slope. Rescue workers were setting up on the edge of the highway, but it would take them quite a while to get down there. Some of those passengers probably didn't have that kind of time. She shot down the hill and landed next to an open window to survey the situation. There appeared to be about forty passengers on the bus – some of them were unconscious, and many were bleeding. For a couple of people, she was clearly too late to help. She tried not to look at them.

She didn't think it would be safe to move the bus, so she would need to carry the passengers instead. She announced, "I'm here to bring you all to safety, but I need your help. Help me identify the people who are in the most critical condition. I'll take them first."

A man near the front of the bus said, "You heard her. Let's get moving. Supergirl, take this woman next to me. She's bleeding heavily. While you're doing that, we'll try to come up with a plan for everyone else. People, look around you and check on your neighbors. Let's get things organized. And Supergirl, see if you can bring some backboards down. There are probably some spinal injuries. Is there anyone with medical training on this bus?"

Kara nodded gratefully at the man, and then flew over to the door, which was fortunately located on top of the overturned bus. She pulled it open, and flew in to pick up the bleeding woman. When she reached the highway, paramedics swarmed the woman. "I need some backboards," Supergirl stated, and almost instantly, she had three in her arms. She grabbed them and headed back down.

While she'd been gone, the passengers had begun to sort themselves out. Each time she returned to the bus, they would point her to the next critically-injured passenger. On her next trip, Kara brought two EMTs down, both to assist in getting patients onto the backboards, and to perform some basic triage. She carefully transported the badly-injured victims, keeping them as still as possible. As the pool of passengers narrowed, she found more victims with lacerations and broken bones, injuries that weren't life-threatening but were painful nonetheless. Eventually, she was down to the last few passengers. The man who'd organized the effort insisted on going last, after she'd carried the bodies of the dead victims up for proper burials. When she finally picked Joe up and dropped him off at the edge of the highway, Kara stopped for a moment to shake his hand. "Sir, what's your name?"

"I'm Joe. It's a pleasure to meet you, Supergirl."

"Joe, I really appreciate all of your help today. I couldn't have done this without you."

Joe smiled. "Supergirl, you would've done just fine. But seeing you save so many people, every day, makes us regular citizens want to do our part too. Thanks for letting me help."

She smiled, and thanked him again. "Do you have any children, Joe?"

"I have two daughters, Tasha and Jessica. They're 8 and 6." He laughed. "They're probably your biggest fans."

"Wait here for a minute, okay?" When he nodded in bewilderment, she smiled, and then walked over to the rescue workers. "Does anyone have a piece of paper and a pen I can borrow?" Pads of paper were thrust at her from several directions, and she accepted one gratefully. She knelt down on the pavement and wrote a message.

"Dear Tasha and Jessica,

I met your father this afternoon. He's a wonderful man, and he saved a lot of lives with his actions today. Please thank him and give him a hug for me. He is truly a hero.

I'm sorry I didn't get a chance to meet you myself, but I'm glad you have the chance to grow up every day with such a great father. I hope to meet the two of you someday.

Best wishes,"

Kara signed her name in Kryptonian, and on the following line, wrote "a.k.a. Supergirl."

Walking back over to a still-confused Joe, she said, "Please give this to your daughters for me." She smiled and shook his hand again, and then walked back over to see if the rescue workers needed anything else. When they shook their heads, she flew back down the ravine, picked up the bus, and deposited it (right-side-up) on the edge of the road, before taking off.

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The bus accident was the lead story on that evening's news. A total of six passengers had died from their injuries, including the two who were dead when she arrived, and some of the first few that Kara had transported. Everyone else was in stable or better condition. Many of the passengers had pointed out Joe as the rescue coordinator, and he was interviewed by several reporters. During each interview, he passed all of the credit on to Supergirl, both for her rescue efforts and for inspiring him to do his part. He showed reporters the note that she had written to his daughters, and tears shone in his eyes as he described her actions.

"Well, Supergirl, you have quite a fan club," Cat said, smiling. Kara shrugged sadly. The two women were sitting in the back of Cat's limo, heading home for the day. But between thoughts of Alex and the memory of the passengers who had died, Kara didn't feel like celebrating. Cat frowned. "Kara, you know those deaths weren't your fault, right?"

"Yeah," Kara said sadly. "But I still wish I could've saved them."

"You can't save everyone, Kara. You need to try to accept that." Cat sighed. "Look, you saved a lot of lives today. You made Joe into a hero, and his family will treasure that note forever. You do a lot of good, every single day."

"Not every day," Kara said darkly. "I took a day off, and it nearly killed Alex." She sighed. "How could I have done that?" she asked quietly.

"Kara, do you trust Alex?"

"Of course I do, Cat. You know that."

"Then you must believe that if she needed you, she would've called."

"Well yeah, but she would've called me anyway if I hadn't been busy," Kara responded.

"But you agree that she would've called you if she needed you. So she felt she didn't need you," Cat insisted. "Kara, sometimes things just go wrong, and it's no one's fault."

"I guess," Kara said, unconvinced.

Cat sighed. "Someday, you'll accept that even your sister has the right to make her own choices." She reached over and squeezed Kara's hand. "I'm proud of you, even if you're not."

Kara smiled hesitantly. "Thanks."

Cat smiled. "Now, we have fifteen minutes to ourselves, and I didn't get to sleep with my superhero last night. Get over here and hug me."

Kara smiled and followed her boss's orders.


	26. Chapter 26

When Cat, Kara, and Carter got home, they were surprised that Lucy was not waiting for them in the living room or kitchen. Kara went to check on Alex, and spotted a sight that melted her heart. There, smiling at her from the bed, was Lucy, holding her finger up to her mouth and pointing to a sleeping Alex. Meanwhile, Alex was curled into Lucy, head resting on Lucy's neck and body thrown across Lucy's torso. Kara grinned widely and backed silently out of the room.

When Cat saw the look on Kara's face, she knew instantly what had happened. She smiled, and murmured, "It's about time."

"What's about time?" Carter asked.

Cat laughed. "Finally, something you don't know before me!"

"Oh, come on mom, what?"

At Carter's pout, she responded, "Don't you dare pick up that habit from Kara. I can't take two of you doing that."

"But it works for her!"

Kara grinned. "Keep trying, buddy. It took me years to perfect that."

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They woke Alex up in time for supper. While they ate, Alex and Lucy asked Kara about the bus rescue, trying to get a sense of how she was handling the deaths of passengers. She was somewhat subdued, which was understandable but worrisome. They echoed Cat's thoughts that she'd helped a lot of people, and reminded her that she'd done all she could. "That's what I'm afraid of," Kara murmured.

Alex looked at her closely. "What do you mean?"

"I just can't seem to do everything as well as I should. I couldn't save everyone. I took a day off when I shouldn't have, and now you're hurt. Maybe if I was better, I could've–"

"Oh no you don't," Alex said forcefully, stopping Kara mid-sentence. Don't you dare blame yourself for taking a day off. You are not responsible for everything that other people do. You know I would've called if I thought we needed you. Kara, I'm the one who made that decision. You don't get to take responsibility for something I did."

"But I told you not to call–"

"Kara, you told me not to call unless I needed you. And I didn't call, because I didn't think we needed you. I made a mistake. Not you."

Lucy interjected, "Actually, neither one of you made a mistake. Sometimes, accidents just happen."

"I suppose," said Kara miserably.

"And another thing," Alex continued. "You didn't cause the accident that sent a bus over a cliff. If you hadn't been there, how many more people would've died?"

Kara was staring at her plate, a little intimidated by Alex's outburst. She pushed some food around with her fork. "I guess maybe more," she reluctantly admitted.

"Kara," Lucy said, "you need to understand that you can't save everyone all the time. And that includes the people you care about most. You have to trust them to take care of themselves. You know Alex can take care of herself, right?"

Kara nodded reluctantly. "I know that. I trust Alex. I just hate seeing people hurt, especially my sister."

Cat smiled at the superhero, knowing that although Kara was still doubting herself, she was making progress. "I think maybe we need to make this a daily topic of conversation for a while."

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At bedtime, Kara stood awkwardly at Alex's door until Lucy came up behind her and said, "Out of my way, Supergirl. You're not taking my spot."

Kara grinned. She had missed spending her nights in Cat's arms, but she didn't like the idea of leaving Alex alone, even though she knew her sister was fine. She was happy to know that Lucy would be there.

Kara made her way back to Cat's room and knocked. She heard Cat call out, "Is that you, Lucy?"

"Very funny," Kara said, opening the door and sulking slightly.

Cat laughed. "Don't worry. I'd much rather sleep with you." She beckoned Kara forward. "Come here and kiss me already."

Kara smiled, and slipped into bed next to Cat. She pulled the woman close, and kissed her gently.

"Mmmm," Cat said. "I've missed this. I can't sleep without you anymore."

They didn't actually sleep for quite a while. Not that either woman was complaining.

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Meanwhile, in Alex's room, Lucy settled into bed next to the beautiful agent. Alex smiled warmly at her. "Hey," she said softly. "I'm glad you're here." She reached over and kissed Lucy's cheek.

"Me too," Lucy said, smiling. "I've had a crush on you for the longest time, you know."

"You have?" Alex responded, surprised.

Lucy nodded. "I was pretty sure you hated me, though. And then all the stuff with Kara happened, and I thought maybe we could be friends, but I still didn't think I had any chance at more than that." She laughed. "Cat told me you were just oblivious, and needed a smack on the head."

Alex smiled. "Well, I guess she was right."

Lucy said, "I don't want to rush this, especially with you still recovering. So forgive me if this is too forward." She put her hands on either side of Alex's face, leaned forward, and pressed her lips gently to Alex's mouth. The other woman gasped in surprise, and then kissed Lucy back passionately. The soft, gentle kiss strengthened as the two women pulled each other closer, but as Alex's tongue began to slide slowly forward, Lucy forced herself to pull away. She sighed. "As much as I want to continue this, we're waiting until you're feeling better."

Alex pouted, in such a good imitation of Kara that Lucy had to laugh. "Okay," Alex grumbled. "But I'm holding you to that."

Lucy grinned. "I can't wait."

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The next day, Kara met Melissa for breakfast at Noonan's. She hadn't had time to talk with Melissa over the last few days, and she wanted to see how things were going. When she saw the young woman, Kara enveloped her in a hug. "Thanks for coming," she said, smiling. "I'm really glad to see you."

Melissa smiled back. "Of course! I wanted to thank you for setting me up with Lizzie. I really like her."

Kara nodded in agreement. "She's pretty great, and so easy to talk to. She's helped me a lot."

At that, Melissa regarded her curiously. "You don't seem like someone who would need a counselor."

"Well," Kara responded, "believe it or not, I was having a pretty rough time. Fortunately, I have some pretty amazing people in my life, and they helped me get back on track." She looked at Melissa. "I know it's not easy. But we're here for you too."

"I know," Melissa said, smiling gratefully. "You've already done so much for me. Kara, I love my new job. I feel like I'm actually doing something useful. And the pay is much better, and I'm saving up for a new place."

"I'm so glad," Kara said, smiling. "But Melissa, depression doesn't go away overnight. Are you really doing okay?"

Melissa nodded. "It's hard, sometimes. My feelings had been building for a long time. I got so overwhelmed, and felt so bad about myself. I still feel that way sometimes. And I feel guilty that I've been given so much, just because Supergirl happened to come along at the right time. But Lizzie's working with me on understanding my feelings and finding better ways to cope with them. It's getting a little bit easier."

"Well, I'm really glad that Supergirl found you when she did, and that she brought you to us. And I want you to remember that I'm always just a phone call away, okay?"

Melissa nodded. "Thanks, Kara."

Kara shrugged. "What are friends for?"

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When Kara got to her desk, James was waiting for her. Kara met Cat's eyes through the glass, and saw the anger in her boss's eyes. She shook her head slightly when the older woman started to rise. "James," she said darkly.

"Kara," James said quietly. "I came to apologize. Again. I shouldn't have called your cousin. I didn't know what else to do, and I was just so worried about you, but it wasn't my place to tell him."

"No," Kara said flatly. "It wasn't."

"I was just trying to help," he said sadly.

Kara said quietly, "James, that's not how friends help each other. You still think that I'm someone who's incapable of making my own decisions, and I won't accept that."

She took a deep breath, trying to stop the rising tide of anger. When she spoke again, her voice was loud and confident. "You don't have the right to choose who knows my secrets. You don't get to decide who I'm allowed to date, or why. And most of all, you don't get to speak to Ms. Grant that way. She is an amazing and wonderful person, and you had no right to say those things to her." By the time she finished her speech, workers all around the bullpen were looking over in surprise.

"Kara…" James began.

"No, James," Kara said angrily. "I can forgive you for what you did to me. But the way you made Ms. Grant feel – that's something I'm not ready to forgive. Get away from my desk."

By this point, the entire bullpen was staring, and Cat was standing next to Kara. James nodded silently, and walked away. Before Kara could speak, Cat had wrapped her arms around the younger woman and was hugging her tightly. "Thank you," Cat murmured. "No one's ever stood up for me like that before."

Kara responded softly, "I will always stand up for you, Cat."

Cat glanced around at the staring workers when she finally let go of Kara. "Get to work, people!" she snapped. "Show's over."

Kara smiled at Cat's quick transformation into a demanding, powerful boss. She made eye contact with a thoroughly shocked Winn, and grinned widely. She supposed she needed to have a conversation with her confused friend.

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A short while later, Kara led Winn to their secret room so that they could clear the air. As soon as the door closed, Winn spun around and began firing questions. "Kara, what happened with James? And what did he say about Ms. Grant? When did the two of you get so close? I've never seen her hug anyone! And what did she say to you?"

"Winn, slow down. Give me a chance to tell you the whole story." She had eventually talked with Winn about the struggles of the last few weeks, because he was a great friend and she wanted him to understand what was going on in her life. However, she hadn't brought up her relationship with Cat. Perhaps she was afraid that he would react as badly as James had to the news. But he was her friend, and she needed to trust him. She filled him in on the current status of her relationship.

Winn sat in silence for a few moments, processing everything he'd heard. "Kara, it all makes sense now. I've seen the way she looks at you, and I assumed it was because she figured out that you were Supergirl, or maybe she was just protective of you after everything that happened. The two of you seem so in-sync with each other, and she actually listens to you. But today…" He shook his head. "I've never seen her touch anyone before, never mind hug them. And that wasn't just any old hug. She really loves you." After another moment, he said, "I have to admit I'm a little jealous of her. But Kara, I'm so happy for you."

Kara smiled widely. "Thanks, Winn. You have no idea how much that means to me." She hugged Winn, just as tightly as she'd hugged Cat. "Thank you so much," she murmured.

"Of course, Kara. You're my friend. I just want you to be happy." He paused. "What happened with James?"

"Oh…" She sighed. "He told me that I was too naïve, and didn't know what I was getting myself into. Then he went off on Cat, told her to stop taking advantage of me. When that didn't work, he sent Superman to see me."

"Oh boy," Winn said. "That couldn't have gone well. But that explains why he was around for the hospital fire."

Kara smiled. "Actually, it ended up working out okay. But yeah, James isn't handling this well." She looked at Winn closely. "Winn, you have no idea how much your acceptance means to me. Thank you."

"That's what friends do, Kara. James will come around."


	27. Chapter 27

The next morning, Alex was finally allowed to return home. She wouldn't be able to work until the following week, but she was no longer in need of constant supervision. She could spend the rest of the week recuperating on her own. Lucy went to the DEO, though she let Alex know that she was coming to visit at the end of the work day.

Carter's class was going on a field trip today to Simpson's Farm. Cat couldn't imagine why anyone would want to visit a farm – between the smell of manure and the huge, ugly animals, she couldn't see herself setting foot near the place – but Carter was looking forward to the trip, saying he couldn't wait to try milking a cow. Cat shuddered. She'd make sure Carter washed his hands carefully when he got home. She was just happy she hadn't been asked to chaperone.

Cat and Kara headed to CatCo, where Kara again began her day by talking with Lizzie. The counselor was encouraged by Kara's progress. The superhero seemed less inclined to blame herself for Alex's injuries, and she was handling yesterday's tragedy well enough, considering the toll it must have taken on her to see people die. She ended the session by smiling at Kara and telling her to keep up the good work.

Kara had barely settled in at her desk when she saw Cat jump up with a panicked look on her face. Immediately, Kara rushed into Cat's office, just as Cat was hanging up the phone. "Cat, what's wrong?" she asked, concerned by the lack of color in Cat's face.

"He has Carter," Cat whispered.

"Who? Cat, what are you talking about?"

Cat forced herself to take a deep breath and speak clearly. "Carter is being held at gunpoint, along with the rest of his class. The gunman just called to tell me that Carter will die unless Supergirl exchanges herself for him."

Immediately, Kara ducked onto Cat's balcony to change. Just as she was about to take off, she heard Cat saying, "Kara, wait, please!" and paused. Cat came outside, purse in hand. "Kara, I'm coming. I need to see that my son is safe. You can put me down out of sight, but I need to go with you. Please."

Kara couldn't say no to Cat. She understood that Cat needed to check on Carter for herself. She nodded reluctantly, and grabbed the older woman in her arms. "Let's go," she said. "I'll leave you just out of sight. You'd better stay there."

Cat nodded, and quietly said, "Thank you."

On their way to get Carter, Kara quickly called Lucy and explained what had happened. "Kara, there's something odd about this situation. He knows he has no chance of keeping you there once he lets those kids go. What are we missing?"

"Maybe he just wants to talk to me about something, or ask for my help. I'll stay there and see what he wants. I'll be fine," Kara said.

Lucy shook her head. "I still don't like it. We're heading there as backup." Kara reluctantly agreed that it was probably a wise precaution.

When they arrived at Simpson's Farm, Kara spotted Carter's class standing grouped the middle of a field, and the gunman stood a short distance away. She set Cat down behind the barn, and cautioned her not to move. Then she walked out into the field. "I'm here," she called. "You need to let of these people go. In exchange, I'll stay and talk with you about whatever you want."

"They can all go. I don't care about any of them. I'm here for you." He waved Carter's class away, and the group ran toward the barn. He raised his gun, and Kara stared at him in surprise. He knew she was bulletproof, right?

She was shocked to see him pull the trigger, and even more shocked to see a stream of Kryptonite shoot out of the gun. Slowed by the element of surprise, she was able to narrowly avoid taking the blast in the chest, but it caught her on her left leg. "Ahhhh!" she yelled, writhing in pain as she flew slowly away from the blast.

She fought to stay in the air, knowing that her only chance was to avoid getting hit by another blast. She wondered how far away Lucy was. There was no way she'd arrive in time. She wondered, in vain, if anyone in the school group had seen her get hit. She didn't like her chances, though, even if someone called for help. She had seconds to live, not minutes.

She could feel herself sinking to the ground, and knew she would never get to the barn in time to avoid the next shot. She hit the ground, and began to limp her way toward safety. She heard the gunman laughing, and waited for the blast that would surely be her last.

Suddenly she heard a gunshot – but it came from the direction of the barn. She whirled around just in time to see the gunman crumple into the grass. Collapsing to the ground herself, she stared in bewilderment. She tried to clear her vision, but everything was blurring.

Cat Grant came running toward her. Kara felt like she was watching through a fog. "Cat? Wha…" She was unable to finish the sentence. Her vision tunneled, and she collapsed into unconsciousness.

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When Hank and Lucy arrived on the scene, they found a group of children and chaperones standing by the barn, shaky but unharmed. One of the adults instantly pointed them toward the field, where Cat and Carter were kneeling next to an unconscious Supergirl.

They ran toward the superhero, and heard Cat pleading with Kara to please, please be okay. Lucy's heart broke at the raw fear in Cat's voice. Carter looked up. "She's unconscious, but breathing. The gunman is over there." He pointed.

Hank could see, without even approaching the gunman, that he was dead. "Let's get Supergirl out of here. The police will deal with the rest of this." He picked her up, and ran toward the helicopter. Lucy, Cat, and Carter followed right behind him. They leapt into the helicopter, and took off.

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By the time they got to the DEO, Alex was there waiting for them. Hank looked at Alex, and asked, "How in the hell did you drive with a bandage on your right foot?"

"I took it off," Alex said, rolling her eyes. Then, concern filling her features, she asked, "How is she?"

"Well, I'm not a doctor," Lucy said, "but I think she'll be okay. She took a shot in the leg, and it drained her. Let's get her into treatment."

They took Kara into the treatment room, and left her with the doctors. Carter stayed with Kara while Lucy led Cat, Alex, and Hank to the next room, where they could talk while watching their patient. Lucy began the conversation by asking, "Cat, what the hell happened out there?"

Cat explained that Kara had agreed to drop her off just out of sight, so she could see for herself that Carter was safe. She described what had happened then, and explained that rather than firing regular gunshots, the man had sent a beam of Kryptonite at Kara. "It caught her by surprise, I think, because she didn't react right away. It hit her in the leg."

"How the hell did he get a Kryptonite gun?" Alex asked angrily. "And who was this guy?"

"I don't know the answer to either question, but I suspect that Max Lord might," Hank speculated. "Fortunately, he's still in custody. I'm headed there next."

Lucy sighed. "So then what happened, Cat? Because obviously Kara didn't shoot him, so someone must have stepped in."

"Well…" answered Cat hesitantly, "I thought Carter might be in danger, and I don't like to take any chances with my son. So I came prepared." She opened her purse, and showed them the gun she'd been carrying. "It's a good thing I've kept up on my target practice. It wasn't an easy shot from behind the barn."

Lucy's mouth hung open in surprise. "You were the one who shot him?" She paused. "Wait a minute, that shot was from behind the barn? Damn, you're good!" She looked at Cat with a whole new level of respect.

"I hate to put a damper on things," Hank said, "but you do have a license for that, right?"

Cat smiled. "Of course." She sighed. "Never actually shot anyone before, though."

Alex grabbed her hand. "Cat, you saved Kara. You did what you needed to do."

Cat nodded. "I know. I'll handle it."

Alex squeezed her hand. "No, we'll handle it together. You're not alone. You know that, right?"

Cat stared at Alex for a moment, and then got up and gave her a crushing hug. "Thank you, Alex."

Alex shrugged. "Well, it's only a matter of time before you're my sister." She grinned. "It'll be nice to have a human sister too."

Lucy smiled. "I'll go give the police a call. They must have ID'd this man by now, and they're going to want to know what happened to the gun. Hank, go deal with Max. And you two," she said, pointing to Alex and Cat, "go keep Carter company."

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"So apparently this guy was named Patrick Hunter," Lucy said to Alex, Cat, and Carter. She'd just returned from calling the police chief, and had some information about the shooter. "He ran a web site called 'Superfreaks,' where he denounced aliens and advocated ridding the planet of them. They don't know yet how he obtained the gun, but I think we can be pretty confident it came from Max Lord. It's the same strain of Kryptonite that he shot her with." She looked at Cat. "By the way, they're going to need your gun for ballistics. You'll get it back when they're done."

Cat nodded and handed Lucy the gun. "They can keep it. I'll get a new one."

Alex said, "We're going to need to figure out how many more people got access to Max's Kryptonite. Hopefully, Hank will get that information, but maybe we need to look at Max's computer records too. We can't afford to miss anything."

Lucy nodded. "Good thinking. I'll get on that." She looked at Kara. "How's the patient doing?"

"The doctors said she's just sleeping it off. She'll be better soon."

Lucy sighed in relief. "Good."

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Kara stirred slightly. As her eyes opened, Alex jumped up to stand by Kara's side. "How are you feeling?"

"Everything hurts," Kara said sleepily, making a face. "What… I remember I was about to get hit with Kryptonite again, and then I heard a shot. What happened?"

Alex smiled. "Your girlfriend is a bad-ass." She laughed. "Apparently, we can add 'trained sniper' to her resume."

"Cat… Cat shot him? How? I don't…"

"Kara, we'll tell you the whole story later," Cat said, standing up and walking over and grasping Kara's hand. "Sleep now, darling." She kissed Kara's lips softly, and then stood up and squeezed her hand.

"Okay," Kara said, smiling. She closed her eyes and fell back asleep.

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"So… you just carry a gun around in your purse? How did I never notice that? Do you really think that's safe?" It was late afternoon, and Alex, Cat, and Carter were driving Kara home. Now that she was awake, they were explaining what had happened.

Cat responded, "I don't usually carry it around with me. It's usually in the office safe. I just had a hunch that maybe I needed it." She looked at Kara. "It turns out, I was right."

Kara ignored the obvious logic to that. "Cat, you don't need a gun. I've been there to protect you for years."

"First of all, I didn't know you were Supergirl until recently. Secondly, I like being able to protect myself if I need to. I'm very careful. There's a fingerprint scan on the safe, and no one else even knew it was there." She managed to avoid pointing out that without it, Kara wouldn't be here right now.

Alex wasn't willing to be quite so considerate. "Kara, maybe you should focus on thanking Cat for saving your life, rather than lecturing her? You're lucky your girlfriend is such a good shot." She looked at Cat and smiled. "You're going to fit right in with our family."

Kara sighed. 'You're right. I'm sorry, Cat. And thank you." If Kara had any reaction to Alex's comment about her family, she didn't show it. Cat filed Kara's lack of surprise away for future analysis.

'You don't need to thank me, Kara. I'll always be here for you,' Cat promised.

Kara smiled, and then closed her eyes. "Is it okay if I…" Before she could finish the sentence, Kara was asleep.


	28. Chapter 28

Once they had settled Kara into the bed in Cat's room, the other three left her to sleep. They returned to the living room, where Carter asked the question that had been on his mind for the whole ride home. "Mom, is Kara going to be part of our family?" He had heard Alex's comment, and was trying to decide what to make of it.

Alex muttered some excuse about needing to check on Kara, and quickly left the room. Cat nodded at her gratefully as she left. "Carter, that's not something that Kara and I have even discussed."

"Why not?" Carter asked, in a voice filled with curiosity. "She lives here already, so it's not like it would be a big change. And it's obvious the two of you love each other."

Cat smiled at her son's observation. "Well, the first reason is that it's not an option unless you're okay with it. It's something I would want to talk about with you first."

Carter nodded, and thought for a moment. "Well, of course I'd be okay with it. I love Kara. I want her to be part of our family. And mom, she makes you so happy. You're… different around her. More open, like you trust her with your feelings. I like seeing that side of you."

Cat's smile got even wider, and she pulled her son in for a hug. She was relieved when he didn't pull away. She knew that her hugs were no longer always welcome – damn those teenage years – but he allowed this display of affection, probably because he knew how important this conversation was to her. After a moment, Carter asked, "What are the other reasons?"

"I need to take things slowly for Kara," Cat said. "She's a lot younger than me, and she's been through so much trauma recently. I don't think it's a great time to ask her to make huge changes in her life. And I worry about the backlash our relationship will have on her professional career."

Alex re-entered the room from where she'd been standing right behind the door, listening. Cat raised an eyebrow at the not-so-subtle maneuver, and Alex grinned. "Cat, you don't need to worry about any of that. Kara's a strong woman, and I don't mean just physically. When she makes up her mind, there's no talking her out of it. And she's already made up her mind about you."

"It's a big commitment, Alex. And Kara's only twenty-five. Does she even understand what that age difference means?"

"Cat, she's seen more in her twenty-five years than most people see in three lifetimes," Alex responded. She's watched her planet explode, killing everyone she'd ever known. She's experienced the death of another parent when my father died, and yet another parental figure when her mother's twin died a couple of months ago. Cat, Kara's heart is huge, and she'll do anything for anyone. But she doesn't fall in love easily. Actually, I've never seen her fall in love before. And trust me, no one on this planet is more loyal than Kara. You and Carter are in her heart to stay."

Cat sighed. "What about her job? How is it going to look for her, sleeping with the boss?"

"Honestly, it probably looks worse for you, sleeping with your hot young assistant," Alex responded.

"I don't care about that," Cat said dismissively, waving her hand. "I'm a big girl. I can handle it. I just mean – well, I should have promoted her a while ago, but I couldn't bear to lose her. But if I promote her now, it will look like she slept her way to a promotion, and that's not fair to her."

Alex shook her head. "Cat, I honestly don't think Kara cares about any of that. And anyone who knows Kara knows what an amazing job she's done. That's all that matters, and in the long run, everyone else will realize that too." She squeezed Cat's shoulder. "Don't let your fears get in the way of your happiness."

Cat looked more vulnerable than Alex had ever seen her. "Do you really think she's ready? I don't want to rush her," she said quietly.

"Cat, you're not rushing anything. In her mind, the decision is already made," Alex said, smiling.

"So are you volunteering to go ring shopping with me?"

Alex softened. "I'd be happy to help. But I think Lucy would probably kill me if we didn't let her come along."

Cat laughed. "That's probably true."

Carter looked thoughtful. "I'll stay here with Kara. You can pretend you have a meeting or something, and you need someone to watch me. Because there's no way I'm going ring shopping with the three of you." He shuddered at the thought.

Cat laughed at her son's comment, imagining his horror at being dragged, along with three women, from one jewelry store to the next. "How does this Saturday sound? I can tell Kara I have a meeting

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Before leaving, Alex checked on Kara one last time. As if sensing her presence, Kara stirred and opened her eyes. "Hey Alex," she said softly.

"Hey, little sis." Alex reached down to plant a kiss on her forehead. "How are you feeling?"

"A little better," Kara said sleepily. "Still really sore."

Alex nodded. "There's still a lot of Kryptonite in your body. It'll take time for you to get rid of all the toxins. You should probably try to nap outside for an hour or so."

"Okay," Kara responded. "Will you help me get out there?"

"Of course." Kara stood up slowly, and Alex wrapped an arm around her. Kara limped her way to the balcony, heavily favoring the leg that had been shot.

"Does it hurt to put weight on it?" Alex asked, a little concerned at her sister's lack of mobility.

Kara nodded. "The whole leg feels really sore, and when I press on it, it gets a lot worse. It's going away though."

Alex frowned. She thought Kara would be feeling better by now. That blast must have been stronger than she'd thought. "Well, just take it easy, okay?"

"Yeah, I will." She lowered herself into the recliner, and looked at Alex. "You're still having dinner with Lucy, right?"

"Only if you're okay with me leaving, Kara. I'm happy to stay here with you."

"No way. I want the two of you to have some time together." Kara smiled. "Have fun." She closed her eyes.

"I will," Alex said softly, kissing Kara's forehead again before she left.

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Lucy met Alex at her apartment, as they had planned. "Hi," said Alex, smiling softly as she gazed appreciatively at Lucy's outfit, a tight blouse and a pair of faded jeans that fit her perfectly.

"Hi," Lucy said, smiling back. "I brought dinner." She held up a pizza.

"Yes! I haven't had a pizza night with Kara since she moved in with Cat. I've been suffering from junk food withdrawal." Alex grinned. "There's ice cream in the freezer for dessert, too."

Lucy raised her eyebrow. "What kind of ice cream?"

"Well, I always like to keep a variety. I just never know what Kara is going to be in the mood for. Right now there's chocolate chip, grasshopper, Rocky Road, and double fudge."

Lucy's eyes lit up. "Double fudge?"

Alex smiled. "Figured that would be your choice. What kind of pizza did you get?"

"I hope you're not a vegetarian. I got sausage and pepperoni."

"Yes!" Alex said enthusiastically. "My favorite!"

"Pizza and ice cream. Sounds like the perfect first date," Lucy said, smiling.

"Is that what this is?" Alex asked, suddenly feeling insecure.

Lucy looked at her thoughtfully. "I guess… I was hoping it was. Is that okay?"

"It's more than okay," Alex said, smiling. "I just… needed to know it's what you wanted too."

"Alex, it's what I've wanted for quite a while," Lucy said, smiling back. She put the pizza down, and stepped closer to Alex. "I've been looking forward to doing this all day." She put her arms around Alex, and kissed her gently. Alex responded eagerly, and their arms wound tightly around each other. As their mouths slipped open, Lucy wrapped her hand around the back of Alex's neck, giving her more leverage in her assault on Alex's mouth. Alex moaned as their tongues met and fought for dominance.

Lucy took charge, pushing Alex backward against the wall of her apartment, and she ran her hands possessively down Alex's sides while Alex yanked the woman even closer. Lucy slipped her hands underneath Alex's shirt, and she pressed herself tightly against a writhing Alex as her hands began to explore soft, warm skin. Alex's own hands slipped up the back of Lucy's shirt, and she caressed Lucy's back and shoulder blades while Lucy took full advantage of her position to slide hands over the top of Alex's sports bra.

Alex gasped at the sensation, and in response she dragged her fingers down Lucy's back and kept going, sliding onto the back of Lucy's jeans and slipping her hands into the pockets. She pulled the woman's body closer, and sighed happily when a thigh slid between her own, providing the pressure she so desperately needed. "God," Lucy moaned, "Alex, you are so incredibly hot. Do you have any idea how much I want you right now?"

Somewhere in the back of her mind, she remembered that this was their first date. And that there was a pizza on the table. She sighed. "Alex," she murmured between kisses, "we should probably at least have dinner together before we do this."

Alex groaned in frustration, but nodded reluctantly. "You're right. And I don't really want our first time to be against a wall, which is what will happen if we don't stop now."

They slowly released each other, after stealing a few more kisses first. "Dinner," Lucy said firmly. "Then maybe Netflix and chill?" She grinned.

Alex smiled. "I don't have Netflix."

Lucy laughed in response. "Does it matter?"


	29. Chapter 29

By the next morning, Kara had recovered enough that she could walk without limping. Naturally, she wanted to go to work. "Not a chance," Cat said flatly. She had seen the hero limping around, and she knew that Kara was not even close to being fully healed. Although the sun bed had helped yesterday, it was going to take more time before all of the Kryptonite had been expelled from Kara's body. She needed at least another day before she would be at full health. She also knew that Kara would insist on pushing herself, and probably end up collapsing again.

Kara protested. "Cat, Melissa and I are supposed to see Lizzie this morning, and I don't want her to have to make an extra trip. Besides, you can monitor me all day. I promise I'll take it easy."

Cat sighed. Kara was probably fine for limited office work, as long as Cat kept an eye on her. And she suspected that if she left Kara here alone, there was no way that the superhero would be content sitting around. Perhaps she could use Kara's eagerness to her advantage. "All right. You can come. BUT… you have to promise to stay either in my office or on my balcony all day."

"But Cat, I have errands to run. I have to get the…" She trailed off at Cat's glare, and frowned. "Fine," she agreed reluctantly. "I guess I can live with that."

Cat smiled. That was a far better idea than leaving Kara here and wondering what she was up to.

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Kara's meeting with Lizzie was fairly brief. Lizzie was pleased by the hero's emotional progress, although she was slightly worried by Kara's frail appearance. Kara assured her that she would be fine, and just needed rest and sunshine. Lizzie felt better knowing that Cat planned to keep Kara in her office all day. She had to admire the older woman's negotiating skills. Cat was a master manipulator.

After her meeting with Lizzie, Kara settled on Cat's sofa so that Melissa could meet with the counselor on the balcony. Cat glanced up at Kara, who was methodically working her way through a stack of papers, and was mesmerized. The hero had no idea how incredibly beautiful she was. As she sat there, with the sun reflecting off of her pale skin and golden hair, she looked like a goddess. Cat smiled warmly at the superhero.

Kara could feel Cat's eyes on her. Without looking up, she asked, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong, Kara,' Cat responded, still smiling. "I love you."

At that, Kara looked up sharply, and Cat was knocked breathless by the warmth and tenderness in those blue eyes. "I love you too, Cat," Kara said, smiling. The younger woman took a moment to survey the gorgeous, sexy, and kind-hearted woman who had somehow chosen to be with Kara. She didn't know what she'd done to get so lucky, but she was determined not to let the older woman go. The two woman shared a look that was equal parts tenderness and desire, and neither one wanted to look away.

Out of the corner of her eye, Kara saw an unfamiliar man stepping off the elevator, looking hostile and angry, and she glanced over with concern. Cat followed her gaze, and murmured softly, "Well, this can't be good. Who the hell is he? And how did he get up here?"

The man headed straight for Cat's office. Kara instantly stood up, prepared to leave and reappear as Supergirl.

"No, Kara," she heard Cat murmur. "Your powers aren't back. Let's try to work this out, okay? Stay here with me."

Kara nodded reluctantly and moved to stand beside Cat. She could protect her as Kara Danvers if she needed to. She could see by the bulge in his jacket pocket that the man had a gun, and she wasn't about to let him use it on anyone.

"I don't believe we had an appointment," Cat said drily, sounding calm, almost bored. Only years of working with Cat allowed Kara to see the slightly shaking hand, the flicker of worry in her eyes.

"Well, we do now," the man said, pulling out his gun.

Cat pressed the intercom button on her desk phone. "Security, we have a situation. My office, quickly." People all over the bullpen glanced over, and at the sight of a gun their expressions turned into panic.

"I don't think they'll be coming, Ms. Grant," the man growled. "They are unavailable at the moment." He noticed people staring from the bullpen, and announced, "Nobody else comes in here! Got it?" He waved the gun around, and people scattered.

"Well, this is all a very impressive display," Cat responded, sounding thoroughly unimpressed. "Is there a reason for your dramatic entrance?"

"You killed my brother yesterday!" he said angrily.

"Would that be the brother who tried to shoot Supergirl?"

"Oh, please. Like any human could really kill Supergirl. I'm sure she made it seem dramatic, but there were a thousand ways for her to get out of that situation. Creatures like her – aliens – don't belong here anyway. She deserves to die. Instead, my brother is gone."

At that, Cat stiffened. She would not hear him insult her girlfriend this way. "Supergirl," she said coldly, "has done more for this planet than you ever will. And I will always do my best to protect her. Your brother tried to murder her." She softened her voice. "Now, I'd be happy to talk with you about it, maybe write an article on why your brother felt it was necessary. I always like to hear all sides of a story." Not that she would ever defend the man's actions, but capturing his perspective would make for a more informed article.

"No." He stepped forward. "You killed my brother, and now you're going to pay." He raised the gun.

The moment he squeezed the trigger, Kara leapt in front of Cat to block the shot. She managed to get there in time, and the shot hit her in the chest instead. Meanwhile, a terrified but determined computer hobbit raced into the office and slammed into the gunman from behind, knocking the gun out of his hand. James was right behind Winn, and punched the gunman in the head, knocking him unconscious.

While the gunman and Cat were talking, Winn and James had been creeping toward the office, staying out of sight. They were determined to protect Cat and Kara from whatever this man had planned. Winn knew that Kara had been injured yesterday, and he was concerned that she would hurt herself further trying to be a hero. When he heard the gunshot, he knew that he was out of time, and leapt into action.

It all worked out perfectly, except for one thing. Kara wasn't fully recovered yet, and the traces of Kryptonite that were still in her body were enough to allow the bullet entry into her chest. As she fell to the ground, she gasped in shock as blood started to drain from the wound. "Kara? No! Kara! Oh God! Call Alex NOW!" Cat screamed at James and Winn.

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Five minutes later, James and Winn had dressed the wound as well as they could and carried Kara out to the balcony, which they had cleared in the hope that sunlight would help to keep her alive. Kara Danvers had been shot, and was being airlifted to a hospital, as far as the rest of CatCo was concerned. They would worry about any necessary damage control later. They heard a Blackhawk approaching from the distance, and prayed that Kara would make it to the DEO in time. The bullet wound would have been fatal to a human, but they hoped that Kara's body would rid itself of the Kryptonite soon enough to heal her.

Hank and Lucy jumped out of the helicopter as it hovered next to the balcony. They grabbed Kara and loaded her into the helicopter, and then Lucy beckoned Cat forward. "Come on already." Cat nodded gratefully and leapt into the helicopter, and they took off. Even inside the helicopter, sun lamps had been set up for Kara. There was not a moment to lose.

Once they touched down at the DEO, doctors swarmed into the helicopter to pull Kara onto a gurney. They rushed her into the operating room. Kara's body wasn't yet healing itself, so they would need to remove the bullet and staunch the bleeding as quickly as possible. Even a superhero couldn't survive long with blood draining from her chest. As they worked, the sun lamps above would help to eliminate the remaining traces of Kryptonite from her body. At least, that was the hope.

Alex came racing around the corner, a look of panic on her face. Hank growled, "What part of 'stay off your injured ankle' do you not understand?" but his heart wasn't in it.

Alex simply ignored him and asked, "How is she?"

Lucy shook her head. "We don't know yet. They're removing the bullet." She stepped forward and wrapped Alex in a tight hug. "Alex, she's a fighter. You know that. She'll be okay." She kept up a stream of encouraging phrases, trying to soothe both Alex and herself.

Hank and Cat stood in silence outside the operating room, watching the doctors. There was nothing to do now but wait.

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Eventually, Hank and Lucy brought over some chairs for Cat and Alex, and then left to deal with pressing DEO business. Alex promised to update them as soon as she knew anything. The two women sat silently outside the treatment room, waiting for any scrap of news. When Cat reached out for Alex's hand, the agent grabbed it and squeezed. The two sat, holding hands and waiting in agony for any sort of update. Eventually, Cat said softly, "I never should have let her come to work today. I was being selfish. I wanted to keep an eye on her. But she never should have been there to dive in front of that bullet."

Alex looked at Cat, shaking her head. "Cat, if she wasn't there, you'd be dead. You wouldn't have survived that bullet. The only reason you're alive right now is because of Kara's actions."

"But what if that decision killed her? Alex… I need her. I would much rather die knowing she was safe."

"Cat," Alex said firmly, "no one is dying today. I won't let it happen. We haven't even gone ring shopping yet. I'm not missing my baby sister's wedding." She squeezed the older woman's hand more tightly, and didn't let go.


	30. Chapter 30

An hour later, one of the doctors finally came out to update them. He explained that they had managed to remove the bullet from Kara's chest and stitch up the wound. The bleeding had been stopped, at least for the moment.

"We don't know much about Kryptonian physiology," the doctor said apologetically. "But we have two major concerns right now. First, we are hoping that her body will begin to heal itself. Without super-healing, her body just can't withstand this kind of trauma. The second concern is the amount of blood she's lost. Perhaps we could call Superman or another Kryptonian to donate blood, because I don't think her body would accept blood from a human."

Alex nodded, trying to keep her composure. "Kryptonian physiology is my field, you know. Let me help you. I know I'm not supposed to work, but this is kind of an emergency."

The doctor nodded. "I think we can probably clear you for some lab work."

"Cat," Alex said, "we need to get in contact with Superman. Find out if he's willing to be a donor, if necessary. And it sounds like it's going to be necessary. I don't know much about Kryptonian blood types, but there's someone we can ask about it. We have a couple of prisoners here that are Kryptonian, but I'd rather not depend on them if Superman is a match."

Cat swallowed. "I can do that." She gave Alex a quick hug, and they split up to accomplish what they could.

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A few minutes later, Cat found herself dialing the last number she ever thought she would voluntarily use. She kept reminding herself that she was doing this for Kara.

After two rings, a voice on the other end said, "Cat Grant? Something drastic must have happened for you to stoop this low."

"It did," Cat said, and instantly Lois sobered.

"Cat, what's wrong?" she asked with concern.

"It's Kara." Cat tried to continue, but her voice broke. "She's… they don't know if she's going to make it."

"Cat, we're on our way, okay? We'll be there as soon as we can. Where are you?"

"I'm at the DEO," Cat answered. "You know where that is?"

"I'm hoping that Clark does. We'll let you know if we need directions. Cat, do you want me to stay on the line with you?"

"No, it's okay," said Cat softly. "Just get here as soon as you can." She hated that old witch. Except… there was no one she could depend upon more in a situation like this. Lois knew how to get things done, just like Cat did. They grated on each other, no doubt. But they also understood each other perfectly, two strong women in a man's world, and deep down, they respected the hell out of each other. Maybe even liked each other.

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A short while later, Superman strode into the DEO command center, with Lois by his side. Mouths fell open at the sight of the superhero, who was not known to work closely with the agency, entering the compound. And beside him was an award-winning journalist. What was going on here?

The agents breathed a sigh of relief when Cat immediately greeted each one with a hug. They had gotten used to seeing Cat around the DEO, and if she thought the two should be here, then it must be okay. Lucy followed Cat's hugs with embraces of her own, and the agents returned to their own work.

"Where is she?" Superman asked with concern.

"Treatment room," Lucy said briskly. "Let's go." She noticed that Lois had not let go of Cat's hand, and the older woman seemed to be clutching it like a lifeline. Apparently these two didn't hate each other as much as they both insisted they did. Her own relationship with Lois was similar. The two sisters had never gotten along, but they loved each other deeply. She just couldn't stand being around Lois most of the time. This would be one of the few times where Lois would be an asset, and she could see that Cat felt the same way.

They stared at the pale, unconscious figure lying in the sun bed, surrounded by medical equipment. Alex saw them standing there, and came out to hug the newcomers. "Thanks for coming," she murmured. "Kal, we may need your help."

"My help?" Clark responded. "What can I do? I don't know anything about medicine."

"Kara's lost a ton of blood," Alex responded. "And we were hoping, if it's even possible, and the two of you are similar enough…"

"You want him to be a blood donor," Lois concluded. "Good thinking, Alex."

"I've been talking with Kara's A.I., and she–"

"Kara's what?" Cat asked, confused.

"Oh. Artificial Intelligence. There's a hologram of her mother. I'll show you sometime." Cat's mouth fell open, but Alex was pressed for time right now. She continued, "Anyway, I learned about the types of blood, and I'd like to test yours, if that's okay." Clark nodded. "Follow me, then," Alex said, and waved him into her lab.

A couple of minutes later, she returned. "We're in luck. According to the AI, only 13% of Kryptonians have Kara's blood type, but Kal El, you're a match. I think we're going to want to take a pint of your blood, if that's okay?"

"Of course. Whatever Kara needs."

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As they worked, Alex explained the procedure. "We're using a needle that's made partly of Kryptonite, so it can pierce Kal's skin. We'll take out a pint, and once we remove the needle he should heal instantly."

She looked at Kara. "Right now, the sun bed is helping her to get rid of the Kryptonite in her system. There's not much more we can do for the chest wound, so we have to hope that Kara's body will heal it once the Kryptonite is gone. But we really need some more blood circulating in her body to help with the healing process. I'm hoping that a pint of yours will be enough to get her started."

Clark was watching the blood dripping out of his arm with fascination. "You can take more than a pint if you need. Whatever it takes, Alex."

"Thanks, Kal. I'll start with a pint, and we'll see. With a human, we don't like to take more than a pint, and your body has about the same amount of blood."

Cat had to satisfy her curiosity. "Alex, why do you call him Kal?"

"Oh, sorry," Alex said in embarrassment. She hadn't realized she was. "That's just the name Kara always calls him, and I picked it up over time. It's his Kryptonian name. Kal El." She looked at the blood collection bag. "I think we're good for now. Let me get you disconnected." She pulled out the needle, holding a gauze pad in place, and went to wipe it with cleaning solution, but the wound was already healed. She shook her head. "You'd think I would know by now that you guys don't need antiseptic."

She carried the bag of Clark's blood over to Kara, and set it up to drain slowly into the IV. "Let's see if that gets her going. We're done for now. We'll just have to wait."

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At first, the changes were subtle, but they were there. Kara's vitals started improving, the levels of Kryptonite in her body began to decrease, and the wound appeared to be healing on its own. As Kara's body absorbed the pint of blood, the healing process sped up. Two hours later, Alex was confident that Kara was going to be okay.

When she told Cat, the older woman grabbed her in a fierce hug and began sobbing. "Thank God. Alex, I couldn't lose her," she said desperately.

"Me neither," Alex said softly. They hugged for a long time.

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Late in the evening, Lois and Clark headed home. Each one offered to stay, but they could see that their help was no longer required. Clark said that they would come back to visit Kara once she was feeling a little bit better, but that they wanted to get out of everyone's way for now. After another round of hugs, they left the building.

Lucy looked at Cat and shook her head. "You actually like Lois, don't you?"

"No. I despise her. We are far too much alike. But there are very few people I trust more in situations like this."

Lucy nodded in understanding. "That's pretty much exactly how I feel about her. Except she and I aren't very much alike."

Cat laughed. "I suspect she has that effect on a lot of people."

Alex came out of the treatment room. "Kara's going to be asleep for hours. She might wake up occasionally, but only for a minute or two. Her body needs a chance to heal. The combination of the Kryptonite shot yesterday and today's bullet wound are going to wipe her out for a while. The two of you should get some sleep."

Lucy turned to Alex. "Actually, all three of us should get some sleep."

Alex shook her head. "I don't want her waking up alone."

Cat said, "Then we'll take turns. I also want to be by her side every second, but there's no point in all of us being exhausted. Let's just make sure that there's always someone there when she wakes up."

Lucy offered to take the first shift. "The two of you need to get some sleep, and once Kara's awake she's going to want both of you around. I'll stay there for now."

Alex smiled. "Thanks Lucy." She kissed her on the cheek, and then led Cat to the barracks to get some rest. Cat made some comments about the diseases she was likely to pick up in this kind of place, but eventually settled into a bed and fell asleep.

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Lucy pulled up a chair and a desk next to Kara, and settled in to wait. Kara was unlikely to wake up anytime soon, so she brought lots of paperwork to do. She kept herself occupied for a couple of hours, and stopped when she saw Kara begin to stir. She instantly grasped Kara's hand in both of hers, in case the woman woke up.

Kara's eyes flickered open. Lucy stood up and brushed some hair out of her face. "Welcome back, Supergirl," she said softly. "We were pretty worried about you."

"Cat…" Kara croaked, a question in her eyes.

"Cat is fine, Kara," Lucy said reassuringly, touching Kara's cheek. "I told her to get some sleep. She'll be back to see you later. Alex too."

"Good," Kara whispered. "Thanks, Lucy. I'm glad you're here."

Lucy smiled at Kara and rubbed her arm lightly. "I'm glad YOU'RE here, Kara. Now get some sleep."

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After a few hours, Alex got out of bed and went to relieve Lucy. She stopped for a moment to appreciate the sight of her girlfriend, looking tired but focused as she worked her way through a stack of papers. Alex stepped into the room and wrapped her arms around Lucy from behind. Lucy leaned back into the embrace, smiling as Alex kissed the top of her head. "How's our patient?" Alex asked.

"She only woke up once. Wanted to know if Cat was okay, and then she went back to sleep."

Alex laughed. "They're adorable. And speaking of adorable, Cat wants us to go ring shopping with her. You interested?"

Lucy put her hand to her mouth as she squealed quietly. "Yes! Oh, I can't wait!"

Alex grinned. "Well, it was supposed to happen this Saturday, but I guess we'll see. Go get some sleep. I'll be here when you wake up."

Lucy stood up to leave, and then stopped to place a gentle kiss on Alex's lips.

"Sleep well," Alex murmured, as Lucy left the room.

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A short time later, Kara stirred again. Alex stepped over to the bed and smiled at Kara as the hero opened her eyes. "Alex!" she said weakly, and smiled. "You're here."

"Of course I am, Kara. How are you feeling?"

"I've been better," Kara admitted. "There's a lot of pain in my chest."

"Yeah," Alex said, "now you know what a gunshot wound feels like."

"It hurts," Kara said, frowning. "How did I get a gunshot wound?"

Alex sighed. "Apparently you stepped in front of a bullet meant for Cat. The Kryptonite in your body weakened you."

"But Cat's okay, right?"

"She's fine," Alex said, smiling. "She was pretty worried about you. We all were." She leaned in slightly, and whispered. "You want to know how worried Cat was? She was holding Lois Lane's hand."

Kara's eyes widened. "No way! Really?" After a pause, she asked, "What was Lois doing here?"

Alex said simply, "She and Kal El came to see you." She would explain the rest later. She could see that Kara was fading. "Sleep now, Kara. Your body needs to rest. I'm right here with you." She grasped Kara's hand tightly, and Kara smiled and closed her eyes.


	31. Chapter 31

Kara didn't stir again until morning. Cat joined Alex after a while, and the two women sat there together, alternating between chatting amicably and sharing companionable silence. Around 8 a.m., Kara opened her eyes again. The minute she spotted Cat, her eyes lit up. "Hey," she said, with a warm smile.

"Kara," Cat breathed, grabbing the superhero's hand. "You scared me so much." She fought in vain to keep the tears from escaping. "You almost died. I need you, Kara. You can't do that to me."

"I, um– I'll try not to?" Kara offered, not sure what she could say.

Cat smiled despite herself. Kara was always adorable. "You're here now, and that's all that matters. I love you," she said quietly.

Kara smiled back. "I love you too, Cat." She thought for a moment. "What happened to the gunman? I don't remember anything after jumping in front of you."

"Your computer hobbit friend tackled him. Then James punched him in the face."

"Winn attacked the gunman? Winn?" She wished she had seen that. James, she could picture.

"He did," Cat affirmed. "I guess I really can't fire him now. Or James." She frowned. "But I'm not ready to forgive James yet. I'm still going to make his life hell."

Alex laughed. "Cat, you are brutal." She looked at her sister. "Kara, are you feeling ready to eat anything yet?"

"I'm not really hungry," Kara responded. Then she frowned. "I don't think I've ever said that sentence in my entire life. I must be in pretty bad shape."

"Yeah, that was definitely a first," Alex said, smiling. "It's all right, though. You don't need to eat yet. We're giving you nutrients and stuff. I just figured, with your legendary appetite, that I'd better ask." She stood up to adjust Kara's IV. "How's the pain? Are you feeling any better?"

"Maybe a little?" Kara offered. "My chest still really, really hurts. And now I sound like I'm whining."

Cat said, "Kara, I think you've earned the right. You survived a bullet wound that would've killed any human, one day after sustaining a Kryptonite wound. Your system must be pretty overwhelmed."

"I'm going to try to raise the dosage on the pain meds, okay? We weren't sure how much to give you."

Kara nodded, in too much pain to argue.

Cat could see how much the superhero was hurting, and her heart ached. She began to run her fingers through Kara's hair in a comforting gesture. Despite the pain, Kara smiled. "Go back to sleep, darling," Cat said quietly. Kara closed her eyes, and Cat continued her soothing touches long after the hero had fallen asleep.

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Cat left for work after that. She needed to go to CatCo, both to attend some important meetings and to deal with the fallout from yesterday's situation. Lucy went back to work, and Alex kept vigil by Kara's side, wanting to be there if Kara needed anything at all.

When the media mogul approached the CatCo building, she was distressed to see television crews gathered outside. She put on her sunglasses and adopted her confident, aloof demeanor. She walked briskly toward the front door, hips swaying, as if she hadn't noticed them at all.

She heard her name being shouted from every conceivable direction. "Ms. Grant, what can you say about yesterday's gunman?" "Did you get shot, Ms. Grant?" "Cat, did your assistant die from a gunshot wound?"

She turned and glared at the reporter who had called her Cat. Who did he think he was? To the rest of the crowd, she waved a hand in dismissal. "I will be calling a press conference shortly to update all of you. Until then, I have work to do." She wanted to talk with CatCo employees before giving the press any information. They deserved to hear all of the facts.

When Cat reached the thirty-eighth floor, she took a deep breath before leaving the elevator. For once in her life, she had no idea what to expect. When she stepped out, she was greeted by warm smiles, along with a number of people saying "Welcome back, Ms. Grant!" She tried to maintain her aloofness, but eventually cracked. She smiled at the well-wishers, and said, "It's good to be back."

She turned to address the bullpen, knowing that everyone would be worried about her assistant. Kara was a beloved employee, serving as the barrier between most employees and Cat herself, and handling that role with grace and kindness. Cat supposed it was time to use Kara's real name for once. She announced, "Kara Danvers is recovering from a gunshot wound. She is in good condition, and resting comfortably. Doctors expect her to make a full recovery. She will be released within a day or two, and back to work as soon as she is able. She's very lucky."

When she finished that speech, Cat was slightly surprised to hear the bullpen break into applause. She smiled at the open display of affection for Kara. But there was something else she needed to say. "I want to thank Winn and James for their heroic acts yesterday. Without them, it's likely that Kara or I would have been killed. I owe them my life." She glanced at the blushing techie, and smiled. "But don't expect a bonus." There was a burst of laughter, and another warm round of applause.

"All right, show's over. Back to work, people!"

Throughout the rest of the morning, Cat gathered information on the gunman's history, as well as how he was able to evade security. She was relieved to find out that no security guards were harmed, but it disturbed her how easily he managed to incapacitate them. That would not do at all. She ordered a full review and upgrade of building security. Using the information she'd gathered on the shooter, Cat wrote a long and fascinating article detailing yesterday's events, to be published the next morning. She then called a press conference, knowing that she would have to let the city know what had happened, at least in general terms.

By mid-afternoon, Cat had fielded calls from employees, other media outlets, and a number of members of the board of directors. Most callers were more concerned for Kara's health than anything else that had happened. She smiled as several members of the board suggested offering Kara a generous financial package, something that would make her an instant millionaire. She had no doubt that Kara would reject the idea instantly, but she promised to mention it to her beloved assistant.

Finally, as the afternoon came to a close, Cat was able to finish the necessary tasks so that she could return to Kara's side. She had arranged for Carter to stay with his nanny for another night, knowing that he would not want to be stuck at the DEO with nothing to do.

When she re-entered the government facility, she headed instantly to see Kara. The superhero was sleeping, but Alex and Lucy were there to greet her. "How's she doing?" Cat asked quietly.

"Still in some pain, but she's getting better," responded Alex. "She's been up every couple of hours, for a few minutes at a time. She's making progress."

"Good," Cat said in relief.

"You've been pretty busy today, Ms. Grant," Lucy said, raising an eyebrow. "Press conferences, speeches to your staff, a lengthy article. I'm impressed."

Cat waved a hand in dismissal. "I would much rather have stayed here. But it needed to be done."

Alex added, "We were just impressed by your composure. We watched the press conference and marveled at how calmly you talked about the whole situation. Neither of us could've done that, and we're trained agents."

Cat laughed. "I grew up in a household where no one could express themselves. I learned to compartmentalize my feelings." She smiled lovingly at Kara's sleeping form. "Now I'm having to un-learn a lot of bad habits."

Lucy grinned. She would never tire of seeing the looks that Cat and Kara shared. "She's really good for you, in so many ways."

"I know," Cat said. "If I lost her, I don't know what I would've done." She had a haunted look on her face.

"But you didn't," Alex said firmly. "People always look out for Kara. If it's not you, me, or Lucy, then maybe it's Winn and James, or Hank, or someone she barely knows. Even though Kara's the superhero, she will always have a city full of people helping and keeping her safe."

Just then, Kara shifted and opened her eyes, and three women jumped up and stood around the bed. "Hey you guys," Kara said, smiling warmly. "You're all here at once."

"We just can't stay away," Alex said. "How are you feeling?"

"Better," Kara said. She touched her chest hesitantly, then pressed a little harder. "It feels like things are starting to heal."

Alex lifted her shirt to see the wound, and was pleasantly surprised to see that it was fading. "That does look much better."

Kara smiled. "And I'm finally starting to get hungry."

"What do you want, Kara? If you could have anything in the world right now, what would it be?" Cat asked.

Kara sighed. "Potstickers. Lots and lots of potstickers."

Alex laughed. "You are so predictable. We'll see what we can do."

They could do a lot, as it turned out. Cat Grant knew how to get things done, and half an hour later, she and Lucy were driving back to the DEO in a car loaded with Chinese food. Lucy looked back at the piles of takeout, and said, "This is a ridiculous amount of food, Cat."

Cat just laughed. "Have you seen Kara eat, Lucy?"

"Cat, nobody can eat this much. Kara has a huge appetite, but even she can't manage this."

"I repeat: Have you seen Kara eat?"

When they brought the stacks of food in to Kara, her eyes lit up. She inhaled sharply, and moaned at the wonderful smells emanating from paper bags and cartons. Alex immediately located the potstickers, and passed them over to Kara. She finished those off quickly, and then moved on to the rest of the Chinese food.

By the time she was done, Lucy was looking at her with a whole new level of respect. "I've never seen anyone eat like that. Cat, I have to admit, I was completely wrong." She thought for moment, and then her eyes lit up. "Kara, can we please enter you in a hot dog eating contest someday? Because I would love to see the looks on everyone's faces when you win."

"That doesn't seem very fair," Alex said, frowning. "It would be pretty amusing, though."

Just then, an older, blond-haired woman walked into the room. "Mom!" Alex exclaimed, just as Kara said, "Eliza!" The woman hugged Alex tightly for a moment, and then moved on to kiss Kara's cheek and stroke her hair, afraid to squeeze her chest with a hug.

"Mom," said Alex, "this is Lucy Lane. You've met her sister before, but you probably shouldn't mention that name around these two," she said, pointing to Lucy and Cat. "And I'm sure you recognize Cat Grant."

Eliza smiled. She stepped forward to shake hands with Lucy. "It's nice to finally meet you. I've heard so many stories about you from Alex and Kara. They love you." Then she walked over to Cat Grant. "And Cat – may I call you Cat?"

"Of course," Cat said, carefully hiding the fear that consumed her. This was Kara's foster mother. What would she think of Cat? She wondered what the woman even knew about her relationship with Kara. Should she act like Kara's boss, a friend, or her girlfriend? Would the woman accept Kara having a girlfriend twice her age? She was cold, jaded, and bitter, and Kara was far too good for her. Eliza would see that instantly. And what would happen if Eliza rejected her?

Her questions were answered a second later when Eliza's arms wrapped around her in a hug. "Thank you for making Kara so happy," the woman murmured. "You two are perfect for each other."

Of all the reactions Cat had anticipated, that was not one of them. Her mouth fell open. After a moment, she recovered. Eliza saw her shock, and laughed. "You thought I'd hate you, didn't you?" She shook her head. "Cat, what's important to me is that Kara is happy. And she's happier than I've ever seen her." She frowned. "Even if she keeps almost getting herself killed."

She grasped Cat's hand. "Alex has told me all about you. And I know how protective Alex is. If she thinks you're good for Kara, then you must be amazing." Cat was so grateful that she couldn't resist reaching out and giving Eliza another hug.


	32. Chapter 32

Lucy insisted that Cat and Alex go home and get a real night of sleep. "I'm ordering you to leave this facility for at least eight hours. The beds here are awful, and Kara's not going anywhere. Eliza and I will stay with her." The two women reluctantly agreed, knowing that they needed some rest.

Alex was relieved that Kara would be under the care of a scientist just as knowledgeable as herself about alien physiology. When her mother had walked into the room, she felt a great weight being lifted off of her shoulders. She didn't know who had talked to Eliza – she assumed it must have been Kal El – but she was extremely grateful that her mother was here. Before leaving, Alex hugged her mother again. "Mom, I'm so glad you're here," she said, her voice cracking with emotion.

"I know, honey," Eliza murmured. "You've been under so much stress. Why didn't you talk to me about it? You know I'm always here for you."

"Well, everything happened so quickly," Alex explained quietly. "I didn't even think about asking you for help. I wasn't thinking clearly about anything."

"Alex, I don't mean just the last couple of days. Clark told me what's been going on with Kara. He didn't want to say anything, but you know how bad those Kryptonians are at keeping secrets. I pried it out of him. Why didn't you tell me?"

"Oh…" Alex shook her head. "It's my job to take care of Kara. I've been doing the best I could. I know I've screwed up, and I'm sorry."

Eliza frowned. She had instilled this sense of responsibility in Alex, and her daughter had shouldered the unfair burden. It was her fault that Alex felt so guilty. She sighed, and said, "Alex, honey, you haven't screwed up anything. You've done an incredible job helping her." She could see from the tormented look on Alex's face that her daughter didn't really believe that. "I mean it, Alex. You're the best sister she could have ever hoped for."

Alex quickly shook her head, and Eliza sighed. "We'll talk about this later, okay? I know I'm hard on you sometimes, and I'm sorry about that. But you've been so amazing with her." She squeezed Alex tightly, and said, "Now go get some sleep. I'll take care of Kara."

"Thanks, mom," Alex said softly.

SCSCSCSCSCSC

Eliza shooed Lucy away so that the major could get a few hours of rest as well, and got to work reading Kara's charts. She had promised Alex she would take care of Kara, and she intended to do everything she could to help. She wished she had been there for her daughters earlier. She knew Kara had been having a hard time, but she'd had no idea of the depths to which Kara had sunk. Nor had she understood just how much of that burden Alex had shouldered on her own. Sure, she'd had Cat and Lucy to support her, but Eliza knew that Alex ultimately felt it was her responsibility to take care of Kara. She wished she had been there to help. Alex always believed that she had to do everything on her own, and that wasn't fair to her.

Regardless, she was here now, and she was determined to do her best to help both women. She could see from Kara's charts that things had been dire, but that Alex had coaxed her through the worst hours, with the help of Clark's blood donation. Kara was going to be fine.

Looking at Kara also made her think about the fascinating and enigmatic Cat Grant. She never would have pictured the two women together, but in retrospect, she could see how it made sense. Cat was the most powerful woman in National City, always in the spotlight, and she'd had to claw her way to the top despite her enemies' attempts to discredit her. As a superhero, Kara was subject to the same kinds of scrutiny and criticism, and she'd had to defy those who didn't believe in her to become the woman she was. Cat would understand that completely, in a way that very few non-superheroes could.

She knew that Cat hid her feelings beneath a stoic front, but behind that mask lay a beautiful, generous woman. Kara, on the other hand, was completely unable to mask her feelings, but was similarly selfless. Her sincerity and guilelessness would have made it impossible for Cat to keep up the uncaring façade. Kara's personality, as well as the issues she was facing, must have forced Cat to reveal her more vulnerable side. And that vulnerable side was evident when it came to Kara, judging by Cat's initial reaction to Eliza's presence. She had never expected to see the look of sheer panic that flashed across Cat's face upon realizing who she was. She hadn't believed that Cat Grant could be afraid of anything. She was terrified of me, Eliza thought. She's terrified of anything that could come between her and Kara.

She smiled at the memory of Cat's shock at her reaction. "The two of them are so good for each other," she mused. Alex had told her how perfect they were together, and how much in love, but she'd never expected to see it displayed so openly across Cat's face. She'd worried that Kara would never be able to find someone who could accept and love all of the parts of her, but it was clear that she had.

She expected that Cat's presence had been just as good for Alex, in different ways. Alex had taken to her like a sister – which, from what she'd seen, Cat might be soon enough. Beneath their tough exteriors, the two women were both so vulnerable. Each woman could see behind the other's gruff exterior, because they wore nearly identical masks. They had been drawn together by their love for Kara, and that love overcame any barriers that they might have erected. Once that happened, they'd understood each other perfectly. They really were two of a kind.

She saw Kara's eyes open. The Kryptonian was trying to flex her fingers and toes. "How are you, honey?" she asked.

"Getting better," sighed Kara. "Still really sore. I'm so sick of lying here, though."

"I know, Kara," Eliza said with sympathy. "You're not well enough to move yet, though."

Kara looked at her foster mother with affection. "I'm really glad you're here. Did Alex call you?"

Eliza shook her head. "Actually, Clark did. He thought I should know what was going on." She smiled. "I'm going to have to smack Alex around for not keeping me updated." She wasn't just referring to the last forty-eight hours, although she knew better than to talk with Kara about that right now.

Kara sighed. "It's not her fault. She was pretty busy keeping me alive."

"Don't worry, Kara; I know that. I'm just glad I can be here now to take care of you."

"Me too," Kara said sleepily.

"Get some rest," Eliza said. "Alex will feel much better once you're out of here."

Kara smiled and closed her eyes.

SCSCSCSCSCSC

In the morning, Alex and Cat returned to the DEO. Cat was planning to work a half-day at CatCo, but she couldn't go to work without checking on Kara first. Alex stopped to talk with Eliza and Lucy, so Cat went in by herself. She saw Kara sleeping, and was overcome with emotion. Perhaps the events of the past two days had gotten to her, because she desperately needed more contact with Kara than just holding the hero's hand. She climbed awkwardly onto the sun bed, which had been adorned with some pillows, but was still terribly uncomfortable – and slipped in next to the sleeping Kryptonian. Even while sleeping, Kara seemed to recognize and lean into her touch. She wrapped her arms around the younger woman and breathed in the scent of Kara, placing kisses on her cheeks and in her hair. She needed this, at least for a few minutes. She needed to feel that Kara was still here, and still hers. She curled around Kara, careful not to touch the area affected by the bullet wound, but needing to be close to the superhero.

Kara's eyes flickered open, and her face lit up with a huge smile. "Cat…" she whispered. "I've missed you so much." She met Cat's mouth with her own, and the two women shared a few soft kisses. Then they just lay there in silence for a few minutes, relaxing into the feel of each other.

From outside the room, Alex stared at Cat. "She's going to get a sunburn," she concluded, sounding somewhat amused by the prospect.

Lucy laughed. "Then we'll all have to hear about how the great Cat Grant is ruining her glamorous image by hanging out around here."

"They're adorable," Eliza said. "How do you even stand watching them?"

"I know, right?" Lucy responded. "I figure they can't possibly get any cuter, and then they go and do something like this. It's kind of annoying."

"Oh, please; you know you both love it," Alex teased.

"Of course I do," Eliza said, smiling. "I love seeing Kara so happy." She was starting to wonder how long it would take Alex to notice the way Lucy looked at her, though. Her daughter could be a little oblivious sometimes, when it came to her personal life. "I hope someday soon I'll see you just as happy," she said, raising an eyebrow at Alex.

"Mom!" Alex rolled her eyes in disgust.

Lucy giggled. She had assumed that Alex hadn't shared recent developments with her mother, because Alex was always reluctant to talk about herself. She knew that Alex wanted to discuss the relationship with Eliza, but felt awkward about bringing it up. And after spending a few hours with Eliza, Lucy got the sense that Alex's mom would be thrilled to see the two of them dating. Eliza had sent not-so-subtle signals to that effect.

Lucy decided to push the envelope a little. Alex might kill her later, but it would be worth it to watch this play out. "Alex, you haven't found anybody yet?" she asked innocently. "Didn't you have a date the other night?"

If looks could kill, Lucy would have been a dead woman. Before Alex could respond, however, Eliza stepped in. "You had a date? Alex, why didn't I hear about this?"

"I still haven't heard about it either," Lucy added. "I need every detail!"

Alex closed her eyes in defeat. Having her mother pestering her was one thing. With Lucy joining in, she had no chance. She might as well come clean. She sighed. "Mom, there's something you should know. Besides the fact that Lucy is the most obnoxious person on Earth," she said, smacking the other woman on the arm.

Lucy laughed. Then she saved Alex from having to utter the words. "Your daughter and I are dating."

Eliza threw back her head and laughed so hard that she was soon gasping for air and wiping tears from her eyes. When she had recovered, she said, "Lucy, I knew I liked you. But that was fantastic." She looked at Alex. "I'm so happy for you, honey. I thought I was going to have to ask her out for you."

At Alex's shocked look, she said, "You two are perfect for each other."

"Well, she might not be alive much longer," Alex grumbled. "She likes to live dangerously."

Lucy grinned. It was so worth it.


	33. Chapter 33

Cat spent most of Friday at CatCo, dealing with the necessities of being a boss. She had missed a number of important meetings over the last few days, and needed to check in with each of the departments. People at CatCo had apparently decided that she was the go-to source for all Kara updates, and she found herself being interrupted constantly by calls and visits. By the end of the day, she had collected a huge stack of cards, four vases of flowers, and one jumbo-sized stuffed animal to deliver to Kara.

Lucy and Hank, meanwhile, needed to cover for the absence of Supergirl. It wouldn't do to have the superhero missing at exactly the same times as Kara Danvers. They solved the problem by having Hank do a few cameo appearances as the Kryptonian. "I have to say, it's nice to be a gorgeous blond flying woman," Hank admitted. "People treat me with a little more respect than when I show up as myself."

Lucy laughed. She had no doubt that was true. "Your outfit is probably more comfortable, though."

"True," Hank acknowledged. "I have no idea how she wears those tights every day."

Alex and Eliza spent their time working in Alex's lab, studying Kara's blood work and making sure they were doing everything possible to help the young woman recover. Mother and daughter both enjoyed the chance to work together: it was nice to be able to discuss Kryptonian physiology with another knowledgeable scientist. Each time Kara woke up, she heard a discussion reminiscent of her most boring lessons on Krypton, and wanted no part of it. The two would interrupt their conversation to talk with her for a moment, but once they launched back into science talk, Kara tuned them out and went back to sleep.

By the end of the day, Alex and Eliza had moved Kara into a regular hospital bed, setting up sun lamps overhead. They wanted Kara to be able to sit up and move around more easily, and the sun bed wasn't particularly conducive to motion. The two scientists discovered that once they stopped talking about physiology, Kara was suddenly able to stay awake for longer periods of time, and was happy to sit up and converse with them.

Just before dinnertime, Cat returned. When she entered the room, Kara's entire face lit up. Alex, who was looking at Kara, said, "Either Cat Grant or a bunch of pizzas just showed up behind me. Nothing else would have caused that reaction."

"How about both?" Cat stepped forward, carrying six pizzas. She placed them on the counter.

Alex laughed. "Now I understand completely. I'm surprised she didn't float off of the bed."

"We all need dinner, and since we're still being nice to Kara, I went with her other favorite."

"I see you've become well acquainted with the Kryptonian appetite," Eliza said, smiling.

"Please. I have a teenage son. The cravings are the same, and I just triple the amounts," Cat said, returning the smile. Then she panicked. Did Eliza even know about her son? Would she be freaked out by Kara dating someone with a teenage son? It was probably a little too much for anyone to handle. "He's only thirteen," she said lamely.

"Cat, relax," Eliza said, seeing the sudden flash of fear in Cat's eyes. "I know all about Carter. Kara and Alex love him." She walked over to the media mogul and took her hand. "I promise, you're not going to scare me away. The first time I saw you look at Kara, I knew everything I needed to know. You love her."

"With all my heart," Cat said softly, smiling at Kara's foster mother. "Your whole family is pretty amazing, you know."

Eliza smiled. "I'm very lucky."

SCSCSCSCSCSC

They had pizza and ice cream for dinner. Apparently Alex kept a secret stash of ice cream at the DEO, a fact that had eluded Kara until now. Alex sighed. Now she'd need to drastically increase the amounts she kept there. It was worth it, though, to see Kara's face light up at the sight of her favorite dessert.

After they'd finished eating, they discussed the plan for Kara's recovery. At this point, she simply needed access to sunlight to help her recover, so there was really no need to stay at the DEO. They decided that Saturday morning would be a good time for her to relocate to Cat's apartment. She would need to remain bedridden for several more days, but she would be much more comfortable in a real bed, in a place with actual sunlight. Eliza, Alex, and Lucy were coming too. Kara would need people to help her get around the apartment and deal with the daily necessities of taking care of herself. Cat said she could handle it on her own, but they would all feel more comfortable if Kara was surrounded by people who could help. Plus, there was no way that any of those women was leaving Kara's side for very long. Fortunately, Cat's apartment was huge, so she could easily accommodate all of them.

With that settled, most of the women were ready to get some sleep. They would stay up in shifts, just in case Kara needed anything overnight. She insisted she was fine, but the women weren't taking any chances. "You nearly died," Cat pointed out. "So now you're going to have to live with us being overprotective for a while." Kara smiled at the sentiment, and closed her eyes. She was instantly asleep.

Before Alex and Cat took the first shift, though, Alex needed to show Cat something. "Cat, do you remember when I talked about Kara's A.I.?"

Cat nodded. She had forgotten all about that particular piece of information, but now that Alex brought it up, she was curious.

"Would you like to meet her?"

"Her?" Cat was confused. Artificial intelligence meant a machine, right?

Alex nodded. "It's a hologram of Kara's mother."

Cat gasped. "Her Kryptonian mother?" Should she be nervous? What was this thing? How would it react to her presence?

"Her name is Alura," Alex said, smiling. "She has a wealth of knowledge about Kara's past and Kryptonian biology. And don't worry; she is incapable of emotional responses. I just thought you might like to see her."

Cat nodded, unable to speak. They entered the room, and Alex turned on the hologram. Alura greeted them pleasantly. "How may I be of assistance?"

"Alura, this is Kara's mate, Cat," Alex said, knowing that Cat would be afraid to say anything about her relationship with Kara.

Alura fixed her eyes upon Cat. "You are not a Kryptonian," she stated flatly.

"No," Cat admitted uncertainly. "I'm human."

In a toneless voice, Alura continued. "Humans and Kryptonians can be suitable mates for each other. Your sexual organs are identical, as are your methods of copulation. Human sexual interactions would be just as satisfying to a Kryptonian as to a human. I am pleased that Kara has found a mate."

The hologram paused, as if searching for information, and then continued. "As a female, you will need to find alternatives to heterosexual intercourse in order to satisfy Kara's needs. Some possible options include using fingers, electronic vibrators, or attachable penis-shaped equipment, as well as oral sex. Would you like additional information on any of these topics?"

Cat's mouth had fallen open. She tried, in vain, to speak, but could only manage to move her lips silently. A fierce blush had risen from her neck to her cheeks.

Alex was doubled over, laughing hysterically. She managed to choke out a "no thank you," before collapsing to the ground and clutching her sides. When she could breathe again, she said, "Cat, I wish I had a recording of that interaction. Your face…" she started laughing again. "Attachable penis-shaped equipment!" she whispered, howling with laughter.

Cat had finally regained her ability to function. She asked in disbelief, "Did Kara's mother just instruct me to use a strap-on?" At the look on Alex's face, she also burst into hysterical laughter. The two of them rolled on the floor, laughing until tears streamed down their faces.

Once they had recovered somewhat, Cat asked, "Alex, is it okay if I ask Alura some questions about Kara's upbringing?" She shuddered. "I'll try to steer clear of our most recent conversation topic." Alex snorted with laughter.

"Of course, Cat. That's why I brought you here. Although the sexual instruction was an unexpected bonus," she said, grinning. "I'll leave the two of you to talk. When you're done, just press this button to end the program." She left Cat alone to learn about Kara's past.

SCSCSCSCSCSC

The following morning, Alex and Lucy lifted Kara into a wheelchair. When she sulked at having to look so helpless, Alex suggested she stay in the DEO until she could walk out on her own. That ended any complaints she had. After Kara was helped into the front seat, the other four women climbed into the SUV, and they were off.

SCSCSCSCSCSC

When they arrived at Cat's apartment, Alex and Lucy brought Kara out to the balcony. Nothing would help Kara heal more than sunlight, and she would be comfortable sleeping on the recliner. They left her to rest there for a while, making her promise to let them know if she needed anything. The other women gathered in the living room.

"All right," Eliza said. "Now that I have all of you here, I want to know what's been going on with Kara. Apparently I've been kept in the dark" – she leveled her gaze at Alex, who lowered her eyes – "and I want to help, if I can. I may not actually be Kara's biological mother, but she's still my daughter."

Alex sighed. "I'm sorry, mom. I should've come to you weeks ago. She's doing better now, but I should've let you be there for her too." She began, with the help of Lucy and Cat, to recap Kara's emotional turmoil after the Red Kryptonite Incident. She started with Kara's decision not to be Supergirl anymore and her self-harming behaviors. "Mom, she felt like she'd hurt everyone she cared about, and that no one could trust her anymore. Cat and I tried to talk to her, but she just wasn't listening."

Alex continued by describing Kara's lowest point, the attempt to take her own life. Eliza listened quietly, though a few tears ran down her face at the thought of how much Kara had been hurting. Alex's voice broke as she explained what she'd had to do to save Kara.

Lucy squeezed her hand and then took over the summary, allowing Alex to compose herself. She mentioned Cat's offer to make Kara stay with her, and the older woman's incredible support of Kara. With the help of a counselor, Kara was working her way through the issues she'd been having. "She's doing so much better, Eliza. You wouldn't believe how far she's come."

"She just tends to take on the weight of the world," Cat said, sighing. "She always wants to believe she can save everyone, and it just crushes her when she can't do that."

Alex agreed. "I got injured when she took a day off, and she blamed herself."

"She's always been like that," Eliza said. "Alex, remember how we had to stop watching the news in our house because she would count how many deaths she could've prevented? And when that teenage girl drowned at the local beach, she was inconsolable. She'd heard the girl screaming, and tried to shut it out."

"For weeks after that, we had to stop her from running off to help every time someone screamed or cried." Alex sighed, remembering how annoyed she'd been by her weird little sister. She hadn't really understood what Kara had been going through. It was only as she grew older that Alex began to realize just how much Kara had lost, how hard it was to fight her instincts, and how amazing she really was. She wished she could go back to those first days with Kara, and be a better sister.

Seeing the anguish in her features, Eliza stopped to reassure her daughter. She was going to have to work on doing this more often. "Alex, you were a teenager. Of course you were annoyed. We were asking an awful lot of you. You've always been a wonderful daughter, and this was no exception. You're an amazing sister to Kara."

Cat stepped in. "Alex, if Kara's not allowed to blame herself for not saving everyone, then you're not allowed to blame yourself for being a normal teenager. Kara idolizes you. That means you did a lot of things right, because you know she's a good judge of character."

"It's partly my fault that Alex blames herself," Eliza said. "I was always very hard on Alex, yelling at her for things that Kara did, because I couldn't bear to lecture a girl who'd just lost her whole world. I held Alex responsible for Kara's actions. I was unfair to Alex, and she's internalized it."

"I thought we were talking about Kara!" Alex had heard enough analysis of her own feelings.

Cat smiled apologetically at Alex, realizing that this part of the conversation had been excruciating for her. "Sorry, Alex. I just hate seeing you be so hard on yourself. You're my little sister now, and I want to protect you." Which reminded her… "By the way, we will need to reschedule our shopping trip."

"What shopping trip?" Eliza asked.

Lucy and Alex grinned, but stayed silent. This was Cat's secret to share. "Well…" she began hesitantly. "I know it's not a conventional situation. And maybe I'm rushing things, because we haven't been together that long. I'm not entirely sure how she feels about the age difference, or how well this is going to work long-term. I don't know how comfortable she is with becoming a parent of a teenage son. Maybe this isn't going to–"

"Cat Grant, are you babbling?" Lucy asked incredulously. "Of all the habits for you to learn from Kara, that's one I did not expect."

Lucy was right. Cat Grant did not babble. She took a deep breath, and got to the point. "I'm going to ask Kara to marry me. I wanted Alex and Lucy to help me pick out a ring."

Eliza leapt out of her chair, grinning widely. She pulled Cat up from her seat on the sofa, and wrapped her into a crushing hug. "I'm so excited for you! Oh, you are so perfect for her!" She looked at Cat. "When are you going shopping?"

"Well, we'd actually planned on today. We were going to make Kara stay home with Carter. But that was before everything happened. We'll have to do it another time."

"Oh no you don't!" Eliza was not letting Cat succumb to those doubts. "I'm here, and I can babysit a sleeping patient for as long as you need me to. It's really not that hard. Carter's out with his friend for the day. You're all free. Go!"

Lucy leapt out of her chair. "She's right. It's the perfect time!"

"Are you sure?" Cat asked, suddenly feeling uncertain about the whole situation.

"Yes. We're going," Alex announced. "Cat, don't you dare chicken out on this. You know this is the right thing for the two of you."

Cat smiled. "Okay. Let's go."


	34. Chapter 34

Cat's driver pulled his cap over his head and settled in for a nap. Three women were shopping for a ring, and he was pretty sure that would take all day. As they pulled up to the first jewelry store, he heard the women chatting excitedly about carats and ring sizes and cuts and designs, and decided he was far better off listening to music than trying to decipher that conversation.

Meanwhile, Lucy was interrogating Cat and Alex on what kind of ring Kara would want.

"Something classic," Alex said. "She doesn't like anything huge or overly ornate."

Cat nodded. "Simple is better for her." She glanced into a display case, and winced. "Why would anyone need a diamond that huge?"

"They want to compensate for lack of size in other areas?" Lucy suggested, and Alex snorted with laughter.

Just then, the jewelry store owner glanced in their direction, and then his eyes returned to look them over again. "Oh, Cat, you've been spotted," Alex said, grinning. "Ready for some personal service?"

Indeed, the rotund owner waddled in their direction as fast as his thick legs would carry him. It was a rather amusing sight, and they all struggled not to laugh at his eagerness. "Ms. Grant! What a pleasure it is to see you here! Are you looking for anything in particular? Some diamond earrings to match that shirt? A pearl necklace?"

Cat sighed. This was not going to work at all. Once she told this owner that she was looking for an engagement ring, he would run to the nearest tabloid.

Alex and Lucy seemed to be having the same thoughts, but Lucy already had a solution in mind. "Actually," she told the man, "we were just leaving. Maybe next time." When they had left the store, she said, "Cat, I know someone who owns a jewelry store. I think maybe we should go there. She knows how to keep a secret, unlike our friend in there."

Cat nodded gratefully, and Lucy made a phone call. "Good news. They're not open until noon today, so we will have the store to ourselves for an hour or so."

"Perfect," Alex said. Lucy gave the driver directions, and they were off.

When they entered the store, it was empty except for one elderly woman. Lucy walked over and hugged the woman, and then introduced her to the others. "This is Nancy. She was my next-door neighbor growing up. She kept a lot of secrets for me and Lois, so I know we can trust her to keep this one. Nancy, this is Alex, and you probably recognize Cat."

"It's a pleasure to meet both of you. Ms. Grant, I'm a huge fan of yours. You've done amazing things for women everywhere, and I want you to know how grateful I am."

As Cat smiled graciously and chatted with the owner, Alex was more interested in finding out some of those secrets that Lucy mentioned. But she supposed now was probably not the time.

After a few minutes, Lucy got to the point. Nancy, Cat is in a relationship that the press is unaware of. Can we trust you to keep that confidential?"

"Of course, Lucy! Cat, I've admired you for years. Your secrets are safe with me."

Cat looked uncertainly at Lucy, not sure whether she could believe the promise of this stranger. Even the words Lucy had already spoken would be enough to send the press digging for answers. But Lucy nodded at her, smiling, and Cat decided she needed to trust her friend's instincts. "I'd like to buy my girlfriend an engagement ring."

Nancy gasped with delight. "Oh, I'm so happy for you! Congratulations!"

"Well, don't congratulate me yet. I haven't even asked her."

Alex laughed. "Like there's any chance of her saying no. Please."

"So tell me what she's like," Nancy said eagerly. "What kind of ring would she want?"

"She has kind of simple tastes," Alex said. "Nothing too decorative, and definitely nothing gaudy. It has to be simple, subtle, and classy, but not boring."

"And money is obviously no object," Lucy said, grinning.

Nancy nodded. "I'll be right back. I have a few ideas." She came back with a tray holding eight boxes. "These are all good options. Take a few minutes and see if there's one that you like."

Lucy was already busy opening the boxes and gasping at each of the rings. They were all simple white gold bands, adorned with gorgeous but modestly-sized diamonds. The bands themselves were all slightly different – for example, one had a braided design, and another had tiny diamonds running along the length of the front. Lucy instantly knew which one was Kara, but this was Cat's decision.

Cat had a similar reaction. They were all beautiful, but one ring in particular stood out. She smiled, and reached for the one she wanted. "This is Kara." The band was small and solid, but the part of the band that touched the diamond was split into three tendrils that wrapped underneath the center, and a few miniature gems added an extra sparkle to the band. Lucy and Alex both grinned and nodded. It was gorgeous and delicate, but still maintained the simple design. That was definitely the one.

Nancy smiled. "That's what I thought as well. That company owes me some favors, so I'll have them work on it immediately. They can probably get it done by tomorrow." " She took down the sizing information, and wrote down Cat's phone number so she could call when it was ready. Before they left, Nancy grabbed Cat in a hug. "It was so nice to meet you. Congratulations! I can see how happy you are."

"Thank you," responded Cat, feeling a little overwhelmed by the woman's affections. Lucy and Alex grinned.

When they reached the car, Alex said, "Cat, I think we just met your number one fan."

Cat just shook her head. She had to admit, however, that the woman was excellent at her job. "Thank you for bringing us here, Lucy. That was perfect."

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When they returned to Cat's apartment, Eliza was sitting on the couch, reading a book. Kara had yet to stir. She looked up at the women expectantly. "How did it go?"

Alex grinned and flopped down on the couch. "It was great, mom. Lucy took us to her friend's store, and apparently the owner idolizes Cat. She found us the perfect ring."

"Thank God for her," Cat said, shivering at the thought of that first store owner. "We needed someone who could keep this out of the tabloids."

Lucy looked at Cat thoughtfully. "Speaking of secrets… People are going to find out about your relationship eventually. An engagement ring is hard to hide. Have you thought about how you want to break the news?"

Cat sighed, and sank onto the sofa. She said miserably, "I wish I didn't have to. The press is going to be brutal to Kara, accusing her of sleeping her way to the top. I should have promoted her ages ago, but now it's going to look bad if I do. This could ruin her career, and she doesn't deserve that."

Eliza moved to sit next to Cat, and took her hand. "Cat, you of all people should know better than to care about what other people say. Kara may be sweet, but she's also strong. Do you remember how she reacted to that scathing article you wrote?" She saw Cat cringe, so she squeezed her hand and continued, "It made her determined to be better. She can handle it."

Lucy added, "Cat, everyone at CatCo knows how incredible Kara is. You know how much they love her. People there will know that she earned her promotion, and everyone else will figure it out eventually once they learn how talented she is. Besides, this isn't some meaningless office affair. It's so obvious that the two of you are totally in love. Over time, that will become clear."

"And let's be honest," Alex said. "Kara doesn't care what anyone thinks, as long as she has you."

Cat nodded, still upset at the idea of hurting Kara's career. "I guess we have to do it eventually. Any ideas on how to break the news?"

"Well," Lucy said, "you could attend something together, some big public function. Or you could just announce it at CatCo and wait for the rumors to spread." She frowned. "I don't really recommend that option." She thought for another moment. "You could always break the news in the Tribune. If nothing else, it would be good for sales."

Cat nodded slowly. "A letter from the editor. That has potential." She laughed. "Imagine, Cat Grant, baring her soul to the reading public. That's something the old me would never have done, not in a million years. It would ruin my cold, blood-thirsty image. But it would give me a chance to influence how the public sees Kara."

"Cat, I hate to break it to you," Lucy said, "but you don't actually have a cold, blood-thirsty image. People know you as someone who fights hard for what you believe in, regardless of the cost to yourself. Tough but principled. Your letter would confirm that image."

Eliza nodded. "That's how I've always seen you, even before Kara knew you. Not ruthless, but just determined to do the right thing."

"I'll start thinking about what I want to say," Cat said. "This could actually work."

Lucy reminded her, "You'll also need to deal with Human Resources, disclosing your relationship and maybe moving Kara to a department that's not overseen by you."

Cat nodded. "Let me write the letter, and then we can talk about all of that with Kara." She sighed. "Actually, I should probably work on proposing to her first. I'm getting ahead of myself."

"No you're not," Lucy and Alex said simultaneously, grinning.

"Let's work on this proposal though," Alex said. "Because whatever you do, we all need to be there, so you'd better take that into account."

"All right, let's hear your ideas," Cat said. "I have a few thoughts too."


	35. Chapter 35

When Carter arrived home just before dinner, he rushed in and immediately asked, "Mom, how's Kara?"

Cat stood up and scooped him into a hug. She laughed. "I've missed you too, Carter."

"Yeah, mom, sorry. I missed you. But I've been worried about Kara."

"She's doing much better," Cat said, smiling fondly. "You can see her in a minute. But first I want to introduce you to Alex's mother and Kara's foster mother, Eliza Danvers."

"Hi," Carter said shyly, not having realized a stranger was in the room. He held out his hand politely. "It's nice to meet you, Ms. Danvers," he said, not quite meeting her eyes.

Eliza shook his hand firmly. "Finally, I get to meet the legendary Carter Grant. I've heard so many stories about you. Big science fan, right?"

Carter nodded without looking up.

"I'd really like to hear about the science project you've been working on. Alex mentioned it briefly, but she didn't give me any details. Maybe after dinner?"

He smiled shyly. "That'd be cool. Are you a scientist too?"

She nodded. "Alex and I are in the same field. So if she's ever busy, I can try to help."

"Thank you," he said quietly. Then he looked around. "Is Kara awake?"

"Carter, Kara is on the balcony. If she's asleep, you can wake her up. She'll be thrilled to see you."

"Thanks, mom!" he called over his shoulder as he raced outside.

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Kara's eyes lit up at the sight of Carter. She had heard someone burst onto the balcony, and opened her eyes to see a welcome sight. He ran up to her, and then paused, not wanting to squeeze her.

Kara simply grabbed him into a hug, ignoring the ache in her chest. "Carter, I've missed you!"

"How are you feeling, Kara?" After his exuberant entrance, Carter was suddenly feeling awkward.

She smiled. "I'm so much better. I feel almost normal again." Her chest still hurt, but it was a dull pain. Her powers were mostly nonexistent, but those would be the last thing to return. "How was school? How was that history test you were worried about?" She thought back. That was… Wednesday? Thursday? She'd lost track.

"Oh, it was good. I got a 98!"

"I knew you could do it," Kara said, smiling.

Cat, who was standing at the balcony door, felt her heart melting at this conversation. Kara had nearly died, but somehow remembered to ask about Carter's history test, simply because it had mattered to him. And Carter loved her so much. She shook her head. What had she done to get so lucky?

"Dinner's ready," Cat said, smiling warmly. Both Kara and Carter jumped at the sound of her voice, not having realized she was there. Carter nodded, and Kara gave Cat what she'd dubbed the "Sunny Danvers" smile, a grin that lit her whole face. Cat couldn't resist leaning down for a kiss. She sat next to Kara on the side of the chair, and asked, "How are you feeling?"

"I'm starting to feel a lot better. Almost normal."

"You feel up to walking to the dinner table?"

Kara nodded. She stood up slowly, taking a moment to steady herself, and then walked gingerly toward the door. Cat reached out to put an arm around her. Kara began to protest, but Cat stopped her. "I know you're okay, Kara. Maybe I just wanted to put my arm around you." That wasn't the whole truth, and both women knew it, but Kara smiled at the sweet gesture and allowed herself to be helped to the table.

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After dinner, Kara desperately wanted to take a shower. "I feel disgusting. I haven't showered since Wednesday." Alex agreed that there was no reason she couldn't shower, now that the wound was closed. However, she was concerned about Kara standing up for that long.

"How about a bath?" Cat suggested. "You can just sit there, and I'll help you wash." There was a full-sized hot tub in her bathroom that she used for baths sometimes. At Alex's amused look, she said, "Alex! Not like that. Believe it or not, I do have some self-control." At that, Carter made a face, covered his ears, and ran to his room.

They agreed that a bath was a good idea, although Alex and Lucy tossed around a few suggestive comments and made it clear that they would stay far away. Eliza also decided her help would not be necessary for this particular activity.

Once they'd made it to the bathroom, Cat quickly peeled off Kara's clothes while the tub filled. She forced herself to stay focused, ignoring the perfect body in front of her that was begging to be touched. She stripped off her own outfit and hung a couple of towels on the side of the bath. Then she carefully helped Kara into the tub. The superhero sank into the warm water, moaning with contentment. At the sound of that moan, Cat began to think that maybe this wasn't such a well-thought-out idea. But she stepped in after Kara, ignoring the younger woman's lustful gaze at the sight of her naked body. "Kara, close your eyes," she commanded, because if Kara kept looking at her that way, she had no chance.

Kara smiled and complied, sighing blissfully as she sank further into the water. Cat grabbed the soap, and began to wash those strong, powerful arms. With a washcloth, she carefully wiped off traces of tape from Kara's IV and other monitors. She moved to Kara's chest, and had to swallow to avoid drooling at the sight of Kara's perfect, rounded breasts. She breathed a sigh of relief as she swam around behind Kara to wash her back, until the younger woman leaned back and settled into her arms. "Kara, you are not helping," she said through gritted teeth.

"Oh. Sorry," murmured Kara, not sounding the least bit sorry. Instead, she slid backward to get even closer to Cat, pushing her backside firmly between Cat's spread legs, and smiled as she felt the woman's breath catch. Cat sighed in defeat, and wrapped her arms around Kara. She allowed herself to snuggle close to the Kryptonian and place kisses on Kara's neck. Kara turned her head and met Cat's lips in a passionate kiss.

"Damn it, Kara, you're not healthy enough for this," Cat objected.

"Sure I am. We'll just have to take it slowly," Kara said huskily. "And I know how skilled you are at that."

The last of Cat's self-control evaporated with those words. She began to slowly make love to Kara, using gentle, teasing touches to stimulate the younger woman until Kara was gasping and writhing in desperation. "Please, Cat," she begged. "Please. I need you." Cat smiled and obliged. She was grateful for the soundproofing around the master bedroom when Kara came loudly in front of her. She sighed in satisfaction. She could do this every day for the rest of her life. She only hoped that Kara felt the same way. Though from the screaming and moaning she'd just heard, she didn't have much to worry about.

Kara spun around to kiss her, a wet, messy kiss that turned dominating as she pushed Cat against the side of the tub. "Your turn," she murmured, hands beginning to roam over Cat's naked skin.

"Kara…" Cat tried to voice a protest, despite her complete inability to remember why this wasn't a good idea.

"Cat, I'm fine. I'm more fine than I've been for days. Now stop talking and kiss me."

Cat was used to giving the orders. But in this particular case, she was more than happy to follow them.

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When the two women finally emerged from the master bedroom, they were greeted with eye rolls and knowing smiles by Eliza, Lucy, and Alex. (Carter had gone to his room to read a book, not wanting to think about why they took so long.) Cat smiled happily, and Kara just blushed in embarrassment.

Alex couldn't resist. "Cat, did you use any of the instruction you got last night?" Cat smacked her with a pillow and refused to answer. "I'll take that as a yes," Alex said, grinning. At the confused looks they others were sending her, she simply said, "You had to be there." She burst into another round of hysterical laughter, and Cat joined in after a moment.

"Okay, now we have to know," Lucy said firmly.

"Okay," Alex said, gasping for breath and trying to calm herself down. "I don't know if I can get through this." She giggled again, and then continued, "I introduced Cat to Alura's hologram last night. Alura explained to us that humans and Kryptonians were compatible when it came to " – she giggled again – "copulation, and that it should be no problem for a human to satisfy Kara." She smirked at the blushing superhero. "Then she explained that since Cat was female, regular sexual intercourse wasn't an option, and she…" Alex couldn't continue, dissolving into another fit of giggles.

Cat managed to gasp out, "She listed a number of ways in which I could compensate for my lack of equipment."

"Then she asked if we would like further details," Alex volunteered between giggles.

Lucy and Eliza were laughing, and Kara had turned a shade of red that bordered on purple. She sank her head into her hands. "I did not want to know this. I really didn't want to know this." Her reaction just made the other women laugh harder. "That's it. No one is ever talking to that hologram of my mother again."

"I'm just happy to know that your mother is still looking out for your needs," Lucy choked out, sending the others into another fit of laughter.

"I hate you all," Kara said. "Every one of you. I'm going to talk to Carter. The only mature person in this house is the thirteen-year-old boy." She stood unsteadily, and then left the room.

They tried to stop giggling. They really did. But then Eliza asked, smirking, "What methods did she list?"

"She encouraged me to use attachable penis-shaped equipment," Cat said, starting yet another round of hysterical laughter.

In Carter's room, Kara groaned at the swell of laughter. It was going to be a long night.


	36. Chapter 36

The next morning, Kara woke up feeling pretty good. Having Cat Grant wound around her naked body was a rather nice start, but she also just felt healthier. Initially, Cat had refused to engage in any sort of physical activity last night. However, Kara had learned some strategies for changing Cat's mind, and before long she was begging Kara not to stop. And Kara didn't. All night, they had alternated between strenuous activity and exhausted sleep, and Kara intended to continue that pattern right now. She pulled Cat closer and began to place soft kisses on her face and neck, while running her hands possessively along Cat's torso and legs. When she met Cat's lips with her own, the older woman responded instantly, shoving Kara down onto the bed and climbing on top of her without breaking the kiss. Kara sighed happily. She could do this forever.

An hour later, Cat and Kara emerged from the bedroom, freshly showered and dressed. Carter was sstill asleep, but Alex, Lucy, and Eliza were already making breakfast. They were relieved to see that Kara was walking normally, and looked healthier. "How are you feeling?" asked Eliza.

"Good," said Kara, smiling widely. "I feel really good."

"Well, someone's had lots of sex in the last twelve hours," Lucy murmured. "Besides me, that is."

"Lucy!" protested Alex and Kara simultaneously.

"What? I'm just stating a fact. You look way too happy this morning, and so does Cat. And Alex."

"Lucy!" Alex said again. "My mother is sitting right here!"

"Alex, you do realize she had to have sex at some point, or you wouldn't be here, right?" Lucy inquired.

"I prefer not to think about that," Alex responded, sighing.

Eliza was smiling as she watched the exchange. "Lucy, have I told you lately how much I like you?"

Lucy grinned. "The Danvers sisters are way too easily embarrassed. It's just so much fun." She looked at Cat. "So… how many times, between the bath, last night, and this morning? We're still monitoring Kara's medical condition, so we're going to need to put that in her chart."

"Hmm," said Cat, just as amused by this as Lucy was. "Let's see. It was twice in the bath, and two more this morning. I lost count overnight. Kara, was it four times or five?" Kara was busy hiding under the table, so Cat drew her own conclusions. "I'm going to say eight in total. But I might be missing one or two."

"Well, you have us beat. I could have gone another round or two, but Alex was pretty tired. I guess she didn't sleep the night before. But I have to tell you, she's really, really talented when it comes to sex, like especially when she–"

Alex cut her off with a kiss. It was passionate, and hot, and laced with more than a little frustration. When they finally separated, Alex said, "That's the only way I've found to shut her up. She was NOT going to finish that sentence in front of my mom."

Eliza laughed. "I can handle it, Alex. Lucy's just trying to embarrass you."

"Yeah, well, it's working!" Alex growled at Lucy. Then she kissed her again, and whispered into Lucy's ear, "It's also making me want to tear your clothes off and have my way with you right now."

Lucy said, in a ragged voice, "Alex and I, um, have to go, for a few minutes, I think." She dragged Alex with her into the bedroom and slammed the door.

Eliza and Cat looked at each other and started laughing. Kara was still under the table, with her head in her hands.

"Kara, honey, I made batter for pancakes," Eliza said.

They heard a bang as Kara lifted her head into the table, and then a muttered "Ow." An eager face popped out from underneath. "Really?"

Cat laughed. "Kara, I think if you had to choose between food and me, food would win."

Kara looked thoughtful for a moment, as if she really couldn't decide. She finally settled it by saying, "No one would ever have to make a choice like that. That's ridiculous."

Eliza and Cat laughed.

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Meanwhile, Alex had slammed Lucy into the bedroom wall, and was currently ripping every shred of clothing off of her girlfriend. Lucy leaned back against the wall, content to feel Alex's hands all over her and Alex's lips on hers. Alex lowered her mouth and began to kiss and touch every inch of Lucy's body, spending most of her time in the more sensitive areas of the neck, chest, stomach, and inner thighs, before finally working her way up Lucy's legs to taste her wetness. She flipped one of Lucy's legs over her shoulder as she began to lick her way through Lucy's sensitive region, paying special attention to her clit and using fingers to further stimulate Lucy. The woman was gasping and moaning as her hips bucked away from the wall. Alex continued to work her masterful tongue around Lucy's center, while fingers stroked the slick area as well, and sped up her motions in time with Lucy's hips until the woman was thrown over the edge by Alex's skilled fingers. Alex held her hips in place as Lucy's legs sagged slightly, and continued to use her fingers and mouth as she worked Lucy up a second time. This time, she kissed her way up Lucy's body until her lips met Lucy's, and as they kissed, she slid two fingers into Lucy's opening. The leg that was thrown over her shoulder was now wrapped around her waist, and she ground herself forward in time with her thrusts, to stimulate Lucy from both outside and inside. "God, Alex. Don't stop. Harder. Please." Alex slid a third finger in, and ground harder and faster into Lucy as she slammed her fingers in deep and curled them gently on the way out. Lucy was gasping Alex's name as the woman continued to grind and slam her fingers in, and she came a second time, even stronger than the first.

This time, Alex held Lucy in her arms as the woman sagged, her legs unable to hold her weight anymore. Alex lifted her and carried her over to the bed, and lay down next to her

"Alex, you know how I said you were really, really good at this? Well, I may have underestimated your abilities. That was fucking amazing." Alex grinned. "But right now, I want to focus on you."

Alex rolled onto her back and proceeded to let Lucy have her way with Alex's body.

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The women – and Carter, when he woke up – spent the rest of the day relaxing. Carter dragged Alex and Eliza off to talk about his science fair project, and the three of them spent hours debating the approach and analyzing data. "They do realize they're not publishing this in a scientific journal, right?" Lucy said in exasperation.

Kara had gotten used to this, having growing up in a family of scientists, and just shook her head. Cat, on the other hand, disagreed. "Carter wins every year, and this year he's determined to outdo himself. He loves this stuff. It's really good of Alex and Eliza to spend so much time with him."

"Oh please. You honestly think they're not enjoying this as much as he is?" Kara asked.

Cat laughed. "They do seem pretty excited about it."

Cat, Lucy, and Kara settled in to watch some movies. Kara slept through most of them, so Cat and Lucy ended up picking out some of their favorites. They both liked the classics, and after watching Sleepless in Seattle on a whim, they ended up viewing An Affair to Remember. Kara woke up to see the two of them crying and passing the box of tissues back and forth. She shook her head, muttered, "Seriously?" and went back to sleep.

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That evening, of course, Kara brought up the idea of going back to work. Carter looked at her with scorn as she heard a chorus of no's from the other females in the room. "You slept for half the day today," Lucy pointed out.

"That's because Cat kept me up all night!" Kara protested. She instantly realized that was probably not a wise thing to say, and started to backtrack. "I mean, I stayed up all night with Cat. Talking to her. And stuff. Well, not really ALL night. I mean, we–"

"Kara, just stop," Alex said. "It's a unanimous no, and I really don't want to hear what you did all night."

"I do!" Lucy retorted.

"Excuse me," Carter said. "Teenage boy here. Definitely don't want to know what my mom and Kara are doing together. I'm pretty sure they're reading Harry Potter or something."

'Harry Potter?" Cat repeated, amused. "We both finished that series a long time ago."

"Those are books you can re-read, though," Kara said thoughtfully. "Cat, we should do that. Re-read it together."

"Thanks, Kara," Carter said. "I appreciate your efforts to keep my mind uncorrupted."

Kara frowned. She'd been totally serious. Before she could respond, Eliza said, "Kara, you're already busy tomorrow."

"I am?" Kara said.

"Oh, yes. Alex isn't cleared to work until Tuesday, so tomorrow is my day with my daughters."

Both women knew there was no point in arguing with Eliza. They resigned themselves to staying home from work.

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The next morning, after Cat, Lucy, and Carter left the house, Eliza sat her daughters down for a talk. "Alex, I need to talk with Kara, but I wanted you to be here as well, since you've been so involved." Alex nodded silently. She'd figured that was this day was about. She felt an incredible sense of relief, like a burden was being lifted off her shoulders, at the thought that her mother was going to be there for Kara. Alex had been her sole support system for a while now, and she knew that the last month, while rewarding, had exhausted her.

"Kara," Eliza said softly, "Clark told me about your suicide attempt. Why didn't you talk to me?"

Kara stared unhappily at the ground. "I'm sorry, Eliza. I was having a hard time. I didn't know how to handle it."

"But Kara, when you can't handle things by yourself, you should turn to family. I'm always here for you. I hope you know that. I wish you had let me in."

Kara nodded silently, still looking at her feet. There was something she wasn't saying. But Eliza knew how to get Kara to talk. She stared at young woman, waiting.

Kara sighed. "I had just hurt Alex. She's your daughter, and I'd attacked her and said some awful things to her. You let me into your home; you made me part of your family; and I had broken your trust. I didn't think you would want to talk to me."

"Oh, Kara," Eliza said sadly, beginning to understand the depth of the young women's torment. She gripped Kara's hand, and the young woman looked up in surprise before glancing away again. Eliza's heart broke at the guilt she saw in Kara's eyes. "When we took you into your home, you became a part of our family. You already have a mother who loved you very much, but I will always think of you as my daughter as well. Family members can hurt each other. You're going to hurt Alex sometimes, and she's going to hurt you. And I'm never going to choose between the two of you, because I know that at the end of the day, you love each other very much and will work it out."

She put her hand underneath Kara's chin and lifted her head until Kara was looking at her. "Kara, this is important. I want you to know that there is nothing you could do or say that would make me stop loving you. You will always be part of our family, Kara. No matter what, okay?"

Kara nodded, not trusting herself to say anything. The tears in her eyes were threatening to spill over. Eliza grabbed her into a hug, and the tears started to fall. She held Kara while the young woman cried, and Alex rubbed Kara's back.

When Kara had finally calmed down, Eliza said, "Kara, the next time you're feeling alone and you have no one to turn to, I want you to promise you'll call me."

"I will," said Kara softly. "I'm sorry I didn't talk to you."

"You were afraid, Kara," Eliza responded. "I understand. But you never have to worry about me rejecting you."

Kara nodded.

"How are you doing now?" Eliza asked.

"Things are much better. I feel like the city has faith in me again, and the people I hurt have all forgiven me. Alex has been incredible. I wouldn't even be alive if it weren't for her. And Cat – she's been amazing. Lucy, too. They are all so supportive, and I know I'm never alone. Lizzie – my counselor – has also been great. She helps me put things in perspective and asks me tough questions. Sometimes I take responsibility for things that aren't my fault, and she helps me to see that."

She continued, "And Eliza, I was able to stop someone from jumping off a ledge, as Supergirl, and Cat gave her a job, and she's doing so much better. I feel like she sees me as a mentor, and it's nice to have the roles reversed a little bit."

Eliza smiled. She knew that Kara was okay now – she had seen the happiness radiating off of her – but it was nice to hear that the Kryptonian recognized how much had changed. "I'm so glad, Kara. I love you, and I don't like the idea that you were struggling on your own, or that Alex was so worried about you. She needs you to be okay too, you know."

"I know. Alex, I'm sorry for everything."

"Don't be sorry, Kara. Just be safe, and be willing to talk to us next time, okay?"

"I will, Alex. I promise."

"Good," Eliza said. "Let's go shopping. It's not often I get a chance to spoil my daughters a little bit."


	37. Chapter 37

The following morning, Kara was allowed to go to work, but would start her day meeting with Lizzie, and she would be picked up at 2 p.m. by Eliza. Essentially, it was a half-day, and Kara would have complained, except that she stood no chance against the quartet of Cat, Eliza, Alex, and Lucy.

Cat insisted on picking up the lattes, so Kara made her way up to the thirty-eighth floor. When she stepped off the elevator, she was met by quite a few warm smiles and excited greetings. She had received their cards and flowers, but she assumed that was just something people did when a colleague was hurt. Instead, they seemed genuinely thrilled to see her back. Kara was touched by their concern and kindness.

As Cat handed her with a pumpkin-spice latte, she smiled warmly at the older woman, and forced herself not to reach for Cat. It was becoming harder and harder not to express her affection at the office. She knew that Cat wasn't ready to disclose their relationship to everyone, and she would keep the secret as long as Cat felt they needed to. But she couldn't help wishing that she could be open about her feelings. She didn't like the thought that she was some deep, hidden secret. Someday soon, she would talk with Cat about making their relationship public. She would quit if necessary, although the thought saddened her. But it would be worth it to be with Cat.

She followed her boss into her office, where they waited as Lizzie stepped off the elevator. Kara would be meeting with Lizzie in their usual spot on the balcony. As Lizzie entered the office, Kara was surprised when Lizzie pulled her into a hug. "I'm so glad you're okay," Lizzie murmured. "I was worried about you."

Kara remembered that Lizzie had been on the balcony during the incident, and must have seen Kara just after she was shot. "I guess I have some good genes," she responded, smiling.

Lizzie laughed. "I'll say!"

They settled on the balcony for their conversation. Lizzie first wanted to know how Kara was doing physically. "I'm pretty much healed. My powers are back, but I get tired easily, so I'm trying not to use them. I'm off Supergirl duty for a little while longer, but they're letting me work half a day today."

"I'm really glad to hear that, Kara. You looked like you were in pretty bad shape." Kara nodded, knowing that her situation had been dire. "And how are things going otherwise?"

"Oh, Lizzie, things are going so much better," Kara responded. She described her relationships with Cat and Carter, and how important each one was to her. Kara had tears in her eyes as she discussed the conversation she'd had with Eliza, and how the woman had referred to Kara as her daughter. She talked about how supportive Alex and Lucy had been, and Alex's role in saving her life. And of course her cousin had been there for her, donating the blood that saved her life. Even Winn and James had helped to protect her by attacking the gunman.

It was clear to Lizzie that Kara was doing well. She had a strong support network, and she was starting to come to terms with her own limitations. She had made exceptional progress, and Lizzie was happy to point that out to the young woman. Kara smiled, thanked her, and said, "See you Friday."

When the two of them walked into Cat's office, Kara was surprised to see a crowd of people in the room. As she looked around, she spotted Alex, Lucy, Hank, Eliza, Winn, James, Carter, Clark, Lois, and Melissa. The look on her face turned to one of confusion. What were all of these people doing at CatCo? More importantly, what was Lois Lane doing in Cat's office? That had the potential to be disastrous. Cat was standing there staring at her, and… were her hands shaking? It was slight, but she definitely wasn't seeing things. Cat Grant was nervous.

Cat smiled warmly at Kara, and it was as if the rest of the world just faded away. Kara stood, mesmerized by the sight of her beautiful girlfriend. Cat took Kara's hands in her own, and began to speak. "Kara Zor El Danvers, you have changed my life. Because of you, I've come to believe that anything is possible. You are unlike anyone I've ever met, and I hope I can spend the rest of my life showing you how amazing you are and how much you mean to me. You have let me into your loving and generous heart, and I have given mine to you in return."

Kara was standing there, overwhelmed and confused. Why was Cat making this speech? What was going on?

Then Cat sank to one knee and displayed a box. She spoke words that Kara hadn't heard since she left Krypton. "I love you," she said in nearly flawless Kryptonian. She continued, in Kara's native language, "Will you marry me?" and opened the box.

Cat had spent hours with Alura, practicing those two phrases over and over again, until the holographic woman deemed her pronunciation correct. She had continued to practice those words in every spare moment, muttering in Kryptonian as she ascended the elevator, when she went to the bathroom, and while she tried to distract herself during boring meetings. She had done the best she could, and she hoped it was good enough for Kara to understand her words.

Kara stood there in shock for a moment, her mouth hanging open in surprise. Cat had spoken to her in her native language. How had Cat even learned those phrases? And Cat was on one knee. Wait, Cat had asked her a question! It occurred to Kara that she probably needed to process Cat's words and formulate a response. Cat asked me to marry her? Cat wants to marry me?

Kara pulled herself out of her trance. "Yes! Yes, absolutely, of course yes!" Tears began running down her face as she pulled Cat toward her and kissed her like she would never let go – and she wasn't planning on letting Cat go, ever. She was surprised to hear Cat exhale a relieved breath. The room broke out into cheers and applause. Suddenly Kara understood – Cat had invited everyone who was important to Kara, so that Kara could share this moment with the people she loved. Cat had probably spent hours learning those two Kryptonian phrases. Cat had bought her a ring – which she hadn't even looked at. She'd been so focused on Cat herself that she hadn't even thought to look in the box.

Kara pulled back to look at Cat. "You learned those phrases in Kryptonian," she murmured. "For me?"

"Of course, for you," Cat said, smiling. "All of this is for you. I love you."

Kara responded softly, in Kryptonian, "I love you too." She could tell by the look in Cat's eyes that she understood.

She began to register the presence of other people in the room. She looked at Alex, whose eyes were a little watery as she smiled back, and Lucy, who was grinning happily. The two of them rushed over. "Did you try on the ring?"

"I haven't even looked at it yet," Kara admitted shyly. Cat held the box open in front of her, and she gasped in delight. It was simple yet elegant, exquisite but tasteful. It was the most beautiful ring she'd ever seen, and not just because of what it represented. Cat took it out, and slipped it onto Kara's finger, where it fit perfectly. Lucy and Alex chattered excitedly about how it looked even better than the one in the store, and she tuned them out as she stared first at the ring, and then at the beautiful green eyes of her fiancée. She kissed Cat again, and wrapped her in a tender hug.

Eventually, Kara loosened her grip on Cat. "I should probably at least say hi to everyone else, right?" Cat nodded and gave Kara a gentle push. She walked around the room, greeting everyone with hugs and smiles. She grabbed Alex in an embrace that only two sisters could share, and thanked Alex for being such an amazing sibling. "What would I do without you?" she murmured. Alex smiled and said she would always be there for her sister. "I'm so happy for you, Kara!"

Next she squeezed Lucy, telling her how thrilled she was to have found such a wonderful friend. Lucy smiled and said the feeling was mutual. "Kara, I'm just so happy to be a part of your life."

She stopped to thank Winn and James for saving her life, and they offered their warm congratulations. She had missed talking with them, and promised to catch up soon.

When she reached Melissa, Kara said, "I'm so glad you could be here for this. You're my newest friend, and I'm happy you got to share this moment with me." Melissa smiled and told Kara she was thrilled to be there. She admitted, "I didn't realize you were dating Cat, but I don't know how I missed it. The way she looks at you… it all makes sense now." She took a moment to admire Kara's ring, and agreed that it was gorgeous.

She stopped to hug Lizzie, thanking the woman for everything she'd done over the last month. "You've helped me so much," she murmured. Lizzie smiled, and told Kara that it had been a pleasure. She was thrilled to be able to share this moment with the couple.

When Kara got to Carter, her eyes lit up and she grabbed him in a quick hug. "Guess you're stuck with me," she said, grinning. He didn't seem all that upset by the prospect. "Welcome to our family," he said softly, smiling happily at her. She squeezed him tightly before moving on.

Hank gave her a quick, awkward hug – he wasn't much for displays of emotion – but he told her that he was just as proud as if his own daughter had gotten engaged. She kissed him on the cheek, and smiled at his stammering response.

She approached Lois and Clark, and hugged her cousin first. "Kal, thank you so much for saving my life last week. I wouldn't have made it without you." He shrugged his shoulders, indicating it was no big deal, and she said, "I mean it. I love you, Kal El." He congratulated her and told her he was proud of the woman she'd become.

She turned to Lois and smiled. "I don't know what they had to do to get you into this office, but thank you for being here. It means a lot to have my family with me." Lois smiled and said she wouldn't have missed it for anything.

Finally, Kara reached Eliza. "Thank you, so much, for everything. I can't even express how much you've done for me. You gave me a home and a family after I had lost everything, and you have always treated me like your own daughter. I love you." They shared an emotional hug, with a few tears escaping each woman's eyes.

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Cat brought the group out to a local restaurant that was notoriously hard to get into. She'd leveraged a few connections to get them to open early for her, so they had the restaurant to themselves. The food was fantastic. Cat, of course, ordered a salad topped by a cheeseburger. Lois ordered the lightest salad on the menu, and picked at it, while Cat rolled her eyes. She instructed Kara and Clark to each order at least two entrees, which turned out to be a good idea when they easily finished both meals. Kara kept touching the ring to make sure she wasn't dreaming. The day felt surreal, and she was afraid that any moment she would be returned to her prior life.

It was a thoroughly enjoyable meal, and Cat and Lois actually got along so well that they hugged each other as Lois was leaving, while Kara stared in disbelief. Alex giggled behind her, and said, "Those two really love each other. I never would've guessed."

Cat, Kara, Winn, James, and Melissa headed back to CatCo, while everyone else left for other destinations. Eliza reminded Kara that she'd be back to pick her up in two hours. As they headed back upstairs – Cat and Kara on her private elevator, and the other three taking the public one – Kara suddenly realized that she'd kissed Cat in full view of CatCo employees. "Cat!" she said, alarmed. "I kissed you!"

Cat laughed. "I did notice that. It's happened before."

"No," Kara said, rolling her eyes. "I mean I kissed you in front of everyone. How are we going to keep this a secret? I don't want to make your life harder."

"Kara," Cat said softly. "I'm not ashamed of you. If they can't appreciate one of the best things that's ever happened to me, then that's their problem." She took Kara's hand and led her out of the elevator, stopping at Kara's desk to give her a kiss that would leave no doubt in anyone's mind what was going on. Kara smiled and kissed her back.


	38. Chapter 38

By the time Kara left for the day, the couple had talked to the Human Resources department about their relationship. Cat announced that she planned to move Kara into another role in the company, once the younger woman had decided what she wanted to do next. Decisions about raises and promotions would be placed into the hands of a department head.

Kara briefly argued that she was happy being Cat's assistant, but Cat flatly refused. "No, Kara. I've waited far too long to promote you already. You are much too talented to be wasting your time fetching me lettuce wraps and lattes. We'll find you a position that makes the most of your talents. I've held you back for too long." Kara smiled at Cat warmly, and said they should figure out her next step together.

That night at dinner, Cat brought up the question of how to reveal their engagement to the public. She knew that it wouldn't be long before word leaked of their displays of affection in the office, and she wanted to do her best to control the release of information. "Kara, how would you feel about us announcing our engagement in the Tribune?"

Kara nodded. Truthfully, she didn't really care how everyone found out. She was just thrilled not to have to hide her feelings anymore. "That seems like a good idea. I'm not sure why anyone would care that much, but we can put something in the paper to let people know."

Alex laughed. "This is Cat Grant we're talking about. Of course people care. I think it makes sense to break the news in your paper."

"Good," Cat said, smiling. She fired off a quick text to the publishing department.

Lucy surveyed Cat, smiling. "You already had it ready to go, didn't you?"

"I like to be prepared," Cat said, returning the smile. "And I wanted it to be perfect."

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The next morning, Kara was just finishing breakfast when Cat placed a copy of the Tribune in front of her. Kara glanced at the front page, and was shocked to see a letter from Cat Grant filling the bottom of the page. When Cat had mentioned announcing their relationship, she hadn't expected a front page article; nor had she anticipated something this lengthy. She frowned, and began to read.

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Dear Readers,

Sometimes, life takes us on unexpected journeys. My life has included quite a few, and I will never regret a single one of them, because together they have made me the person I am today. This winding path has brought me a media empire that I am proud to run, as well as two beautiful sons who are the lights of my life. And now, my latest journey has brought me to a place I never could have anticipated, and I am once again thankful for every inch I've traveled.

I have followed a few basic principles throughout my life. The first, and most important, is my vow to always be truthful, both to myself and to the people around me. I have found that hiding or distorting the truth is a recipe for disaster, and never ends well for any of the people involved. I take my role as a member of the media very seriously, and I hope that my reputation for reporting the truth stands above all else. It is this desire for honesty that leads me to write this letter.

The second principle is my belief in giving people a chance to succeed. What they do with that chance is entirely up to them, and I have no tolerance for failure. But occasionally, people take advantage of the chances I've given them to reach enormous heights. Those are the people who reaffirm my faith in our society.

I gave a young woman a chance. I hired her despite her claim that there was absolutely nothing extraordinary about her, and I made impossible demands that she somehow always managed to meet. Throughout every moment of her eighteen-hour days, as well as calls at all hours of the night, she handled my mercurial mood swings and ridiculous demands with grace and finesse. My amazing assistant made me once again believe that the impossible really was possible. And with that, something else also became possible. Despite my better judgment, I fell in love.

I tried to fight it. I pushed her away, treated her cruelly, and did everything I could to make her feel like a lesser person. And yet, she never left my side, and was as kind and loyal as ever. She still smiled at me, and still held herself to the same incredibly high standards she always had. I learned that no matter how many barriers I put between us, I would never be able to extinguish that light from her eyes. And I also found that I no longer wanted to. The assistant who had claimed to be ordinary was the most extraordinary person I'd ever met. I wanted to bathe in the light of this exceptional woman.

I can never hope to be good enough for her. But somehow, she loves me anyway. She has changed me from a bitter, jaded woman into a person who once again believes that anything is possible. With her guidance, I have learned to see the good in others, and to bring the best out of myself. She has made me hopeful for the future.

Yesterday, I asked Kara Danvers to marry me, and she accepted. It should be impossible; but then, nothing is impossible when it comes to Kara. Now I will spend every day for the rest of my life trying to become worthy of her love. I would like to think that everyone out there understands that true love doesn't always follow the most convenient path. But I would ask that, if you feel the need to judge anyone in this relationship, you place the blame solely on me. Kara Danvers is an exceptionally talented young woman, and any success in her bright future should be untainted by her attachment to me. With or without me, she will rise to impossible heights. My only role in her success will be to cheer her on. I hope you will too.

Sincerely,

Cat Grant, C.E.O.

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Kara sat there for a moment, trying to process everything she'd just read. Cat Grant, the most poised and composed woman she'd ever met, had just bared her soul to the reading public. Cat had admitted her own faults and insecurities, and left herself vulnerable to criticism. She would endure all of that simply to paint Kara in a more positive light. Kara felt the tears running down her cheeks. How had she managed to find such an amazing woman?

She looked up, finally, to see Cat staring at her with an anxious look on her face. "Is it all right?" Cat asked hesitantly.

"Cat, it's amazing," she murmured. "You're amazing." She leapt up to hug Cat, and the two of them began to kiss each other earnestly.

Kara heard a loud cough from behind her, and spun around to see Alex and Lucy grinning at them. "Is that it?" Lucy asked excitedly. "Cat wouldn't let us see it." She sat down to read, with Alex looking over her shoulder. Kara continued to hold Cat tightly, closing her eyes and burying her head in Cat's shoulder.

By the time Lucy and Alex were done reading, their eyes were misty as well. "Cat," Lucy said, "it's like an open love letter to Kara, one that all of National City can read."

Cat closed her eyes. "I know. It's going to ruin my reputation as a tough negotiator. But it's more than worth it."

"No," Alex responded. "It's just going to make people respect you even more. Admitting your own vulnerabilities is a sign of strength and courage. Seeing the Queen of All Media admit to falling in love – that's a powerful, and wonderful, message. People will admire that. Cat… I'm so proud of you." She and Lucy came over to join in the hug, and they surrounded Cat with love.

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When they got to work, Cat and Kara took her private elevator to the thirty-eighth floor. They stepped off the elevator, hands joined, and were surprised to hear a round of enthusiastic applause. Kara grinned widely, and even Cat couldn't hide a surprised smile at the positive reception.

Cat was known as a tough but fair boss. Although she could be prickly and impossible to satisfy, they all knew that was just because she held everyone to the highest standards of excellence. They respected her tremendously. For her to bare her soul like that took incredible courage. Cat had placed her reputation on the line to defend Kara, and she had clearly done it out of love.

And Kara – well, Kara had the ability to work her way into everyone's heart. She had been exceptional at her job since the day she arrived. But despite her sweetness, she was far stronger than she appeared. Kara was fiercely loyal, and always stood up for what she thought was right. She would have admired that same quality in her boss. They remembered the way she yelled at James for insulting Cat, and how she'd leapt in front of Cat to take a bullet. There was no question about how much she loved the older woman.

Cat surveyed the bullpen, and then she took a moment to appreciate the beautiful woman in front of her. She grasping both of Kara's hands in her own and stared into those big blue eyes. She stepped forward and met Kara's lips with her own. The two women wrapped their arms around each other and lost themselves in the kiss for a moment. They split apart to wolf whistles and catcalls. Kara blushed furiously, but Cat just smiled and waved them all back to work.

Cat sighed happily. It was going to be a very good day.


End file.
